Recessed Face vs Normal Face: How to Tell

Ever looked at someone’s side profile and thought something seemed off, the chin appeared too far back, or the midface looked unusually flat? That could be a recessed face. While some people are born with balanced and well-aligned facial features, others may have jaw structures that are set too far back, leading to what's known as a recessed facial profile.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the key differences between a normal face and a recessed one, how to tell them apart, and why early detection can make a big difference not just for aesthetics, but for your health too.

What Is a Normal Face?

A normal face is considered to be more balanced and symmetrical between facial features, and when your upper and lower jaws align perfectly. People with normal facial features often exhibit harmony in their eyes, nose, lips, and jaw alignment. Below are the 5 levels of aesthetics for a perfect smile that will lead to a normal facial profile.

• Facial: Total facial form and balance.
• Oral: Relation of teeth, gums, and arches with lips.
• Oral-Facial: Mandible and maxilla relation to the face.
• Dentogingival: The connection between the gums and teeth, both as a whole and in specific areas.
• Dental: The overall and detailed appearance of teeth, including both the spaces between teeth and the structure within each tooth.

Types of Facial Profiles

There are several facial profile types, but the most commonly assessed in orthodontics are straight, convex, and concave profiles.

• Straight Profile: The forehead, nose, and chin are aligned in a straight vertical line.
• Convex Profile: The chin recedes while the forehead and nose protrude slightly forward.
• Concave Profile: The midface appears sunken with a prominent chin and forehead.

What Is a Recessed Face?

A key differentiator between a normal and recessed face lies in the jawline structure. A recessed facial profile arises when you have a recessed lower jaw or a recessed upper jaw, or a combination of both. An untreated recessed face can cause several issues, including tooth decay, gum infections, poor nutrition, sleep apnea, and jaw joint (TMJ) problems.

What Is a Recessed Lower Jaw?

In dentistry, recessed means space or cavity. A recessed lower jaw occurs when your lower jaw sits much further back than your upper jaw. It is also known as a recessed chin or retrognathia. Retrognatia can be caused by:

• Hemifacial Microsomia: A condition where one side of the face is underdeveloped.
• Facial Trauma: Includes broken bones or injuries that alter facial structure.
• Nager Syndrome: A disorder affecting the formation of the face, arms, and hands.
• Pierre-Robin Sequence: Impacts jaw and facial development, often present from birth.
• Treacher Collins Syndrome: A rare genetic disorder affecting the eyes, ears, jaw, and cheekbones.

What Are the Symptoms?

Common symptoms of a recessed lower jaw include:

• Difficulty in chewing, biting, or swallowing
• Jaw pain
• Mouth breathing
• Snoring
• Difficulty closing your lips together

Types of Retrognathia

Common types of recessed chins include:

• Congenital: Retrognathia is often present at birth and may be inherited or linked to an underlying medical condition.
• Acquired: In some cases, retrognathia develops over time. Causes can include injury, surgical procedures, or early childhood habits such as thumb sucking.

What Is a Recessed Upper Jaw?

A recessed upper jaw occurs when your maxilla (upper jaw) sits further back than your lower jaw. Causes of a recessed upper jaw include:

• Genetic: Mid‑face traits like maxillary projection are highly heritable. Twin and family studies show that the position and shape of the maxilla are strongly genetically determined.
• Craniofacial Syndromes: Rare genetic conditions frequently include maxillary underdevelopment as part of the facial phenotype.
• Early Childhood Influences: Facial injury before bone maturation, scarring, or mechanical restriction from cleft palate surgery, or chronic mouth‑breathing/thumb‑sucking habits can impair forward growth of the upper jaw.

What Are the Symptoms?

Common symptoms of a recessed upper jaw include:

• Misaligned teeth
• Underbite
• Thin lower lip
• Flat cheekbones

Treatments for a Recessed Face

Orthodontists usually recommend two categories of treatment options to treat a recessed face. Below are the categories:

Surgical Options

Jaw Surgery

If you have a fully developed jaw with a recessed face, corrective surgeries are the best option for you. After the age of 8 to 14 years, in which your jaw is still developing, jaw surgery is the only option for you to treat your recessed upper jaw or lower jaw.

Non-Surgical Options

Metal Braces

Metal braces can help in treating complex dental problems, including a recessed lower or upper jaw. Braces apply gentle, consistent pressure on the teeth to move them into a more aligned position. This shift can influence the jaw structure by guiding it to a more natural position, improving the facial profile.

Orthodontic Headgear

Orthodontic headgear helps fix a recessed jaw by guiding jaw growth in the correct direction during childhood. It applies gentle pressure to reposition the upper or lower jaw, encouraging forward development of the jaw. This improves the bite, enhances facial balance, and reduces the appearance of a sunken jawline. In many cases, it also prevents the need for surgery in the future.

Clear Aligners

Clear aligners can help with early interventions. Any dental treatment works best at a young age because at that age, the jaw is still developing, making it easier to correct any dental problem, especially teeth misalignment. When your teeth are aligned, eventually your jaw will take its correct position, which may help improve the appearance of your face.

Unlike metal braces, clear aligners are the modern and less painful way to align your teeth gradually by applying gentle pressure to your teeth using transparent trays.

Managing a Recessed Face: What Works Best

You cannot prevent a recessed face, especially if it’s congenital, but early intervention can save a lot of your time, money, trouble, and pain from severe dental problems. Clear aligners are a go-to and safest option to align your teeth at an early age, as they are up to 60% more affordable and less painful. In case of complex dental problems, traditional braces or headgear can help. Surgery may be the only option in very severe cases with a properly developed jaw.