RETROGNATHIA

Recessed Chin: Can Braces Help?

Name: Can braces improve a recessed chin?
Creator: Sunmin Kim

Treatment: Dr. Sunmin Kim (board-certified orthodontist) · Reviewed by: Dr. Sunmin KimAbout the doctor →

Last reviewed Oct 29, 2026 · Dr. Sunmin Kim (board-certified orthodontist, certified by the Korean Association of Orthodontists)

At a glance

Who it suits: Your chin looks set back, or your chin tenses when you close your mouth
Treatment flow: Sort the cause with a side-view X-ray → explain how much braces can change → consider braces, or braces with surgery
Duration and limits: In adults whose lower jawbone itself is small, braces alone do not bring the chin bone forward

Details

If your chin looks recessed because your upper front teeth stick out, or because the chin muscle tenses when you close your mouth, orthodontic treatment can change your profile. In adults whose lower jawbone itself is small or set back, braces alone do not bring the chin bone forward, so we also consider jaw surgery or chin surgery (genioplasty). For growing children, we first assess how much lower-jaw growth is left. At Ceramic Dental Clinic, we sort the cause with a side-view X-ray (cephalogram) and first tell you how much braces can change. Dr. Sunmin Kim has written a paper (2024) on when facial bone growth ends.

01^°

They all looked like a recessed chin, but the causes differed, and so did what braces changed

These real cases show a recessed chin caused by protruding upper front teeth, by downward and backward jaw rotation with a long lower face, and by a small lower jawbone. We also list what braces did not change.

CASE01

Upper front teeth stuck out, so the chin looked set back by comparison

Extraction treatment · once the upper front teeth moved back, the chin wrinkles on closing decreased and the jawline showed

Side view of the face before treatment, with protruding upper front teeth and wrinkles on the chin when closing the mouth — Side view of the face before treatment. The upper front teeth push the lips forward. To close the mouth, the chin muscle has to strain, which causes wrinkles and makes the chin look short.

Side view of the face after treatment, closing the mouth comfortably with the jawline showing — Side view of the face after treatment. The upper front teeth moved back and the mouth now closes comfortably, so the chin wrinkles decreased and the jawline shows. The jawbone length is unchanged.

Condition: Lower jaw position within the normal range; caused by protruding upper front teeth and lip strain
Choice: Upper premolar extraction, moving the upper front teeth back
What we did not do: Chin surgery (the jawbone was not the cause)
Duration: About 2 years and 2 months (excluding the period when the patient could not visit)
Note: The lower jawbone length did not change. But as the lip shape changed, the chin also looks different, almost as if it had been redesigned.

CASE02

A long lower face with the jaw rotated down and back, leaving the chin set back

Braces + mini-screws · intruded the upper molars so the lower jaw rotated forward

Side view of the face before treatment, with a long lower face and the chin set back — Side view of the face before treatment. The molar area is high, so the lower jaw has rotated down and back. The chin sits back and the lower face looks long.

Side view of the face after treatment, with the chin looking further forward after the upper molars were intruded — Side view of the face after treatment. After the upper molars were moved up toward the gums, the lower jaw rotated slightly forward and the chin looks further forward.

Condition: Long face shape with a steep lower jaw border and a large height in the molar area
Choice: Moved the molars up toward the gums with mini-screws in the upper molar area
What we did not do: Jaw surgery (the patient could be satisfied within what braces can change)
Duration: About 2 years and 3 months (June 2022 → September 2024)
Note: The lower jaw usually rotates forward only a few millimeters, which is not a large amount. Intruded molars tend to move back by about 10% of the distance moved, so we try to intrude them a little extra (overcorrection).

CASE03

An adult with a small lower jawbone; only the bite was corrected with braces

Orthodontics · matched the front-teeth bite and molars without changing the chin position

Side-view X-ray before treatment, with a short lower jawbone and the chin set back — Side-view X-ray before treatment. The lower jawbone is short, so the chin sits back, and the front-to-back distance between the upper and lower front teeth is large.

Side view inside the mouth after treatment, with the front teeth and molars biting together — Side view inside the mouth after treatment. The front teeth and molars now bite together, but the chin position is unchanged.

Condition: Skeletal recessed chin with a small lower jawbone (adult)
Choice: The patient did not want surgery, so we improved only the bite with braces
What we did not do: Jaw surgery, chin surgery
Duration: About 2 years (excluding the period when the patient could not visit)
Note: The chin position in profile did not change. We explained this before treatment started.

* Photos were taken under the same conditions and published with the patients' consent. Treatment results and side effects can vary from person to person.

02^°

There are four causes of a chin that looks recessed

Even with the same profile, how much braces can change differs greatly depending on whether the cause is in the bone or in the teeth and lips.

01Skeletal: the lower jawbone is small or set back

The lower jawbone itself is short or sits back. In adults, braces alone do not bring the chin bone forward.

02Dental: protruding upper front teeth

The upper front teeth stick out, so the chin looks set back by comparison. Moving the upper front teeth back can change the profile.

03Strain in the lips and chin muscle

The chin muscle strains when you close your mouth, causing wrinkles and blurring the jawline. This often improves once a protruding mouth is treated.

04Long face shape

The molar area is high, so the lower jaw has rotated down and back. Moving the molars up toward the gums can bring the chin slightly forward.

Side view with the chin muscle straining when the mouth is closed — Strain in the lips and chin muscle. When the front teeth push the lips and you force your mouth closed, the chin muscle bunches up, causing wrinkles and making the chin look short.

Side-view X-ray of a skeletal recessed chin with a short lower jawbone — Side-view X-ray of a skeletal recessed chin. The cause is the short length of the lower jawbone itself rather than the position of the front teeth.

Lip and muscle strain often improves once a protruding mouth is treated, while braces can do little for a skeletal cause. Our exam shows you this balance in numbers.

03^°

How orthodontic treatment for a recessed chin works

There are six steps, from the exam that sorts the cause to the retainers. For each step, we explain what we look at and why, with real clinical photos.

Side view before treatment with the lips slightly apart, and after treatment with the lips comfortably closed — Relaxed side view before treatment and side view after treatment. Before treatment, the lips were slightly apart. After the front teeth were moved back, the lips close comfortably.

STEP 01

We compare two side views: relaxed and with the mouth closed

We take a relaxed side view and a side view with the mouth closed under the same conditions. We check whether the chin muscle bunches up and wrinkles when you close your mouth, and how far your lips stick out past the line from the tip of the nose to the chin.

Why we do thisIf the chin looks short only when you close your mouth, lip and muscle strain plays a bigger role than the bone. In that case, moving the upper front teeth back so the mouth closes comfortably is likely to change your profile.

Side-view X-ray with reference lines and measurements marked — Side-view X-ray measurements. We measure the length of the lower jawbone, the chin position, how steep the lower jaw border is and how tilted the upper front teeth are.

STEP 02

We separate the share of the bone and the teeth with a side-view X-ray

With a side-view X-ray (cephalogram), we measure the lower jawbone length, the position of the lower jaw relative to the upper jaw, the tilt of the lower jaw border and the angles of the upper and lower front teeth. These numbers show how much of the recessed look comes from the bone and how much from the teeth.

Why we do thisBraces move teeth, so they cannot change the part caused by the bone. Knowing that share first lets us tell you in advance how the real result may differ from the hope that braces will create a chin.

Illustration of growth stages based on the shape of cervical vertebrae 2–4 — Reading the cervical vertebrae maturation stage. We judge how far growth has progressed from the shape of the neck bones that also appear on the side-view X-ray.

STEP 03

If you are still growing, we assess how much growth is left

For children and teens, we look at the growth stage from the shape of the neck bones that appear on the side-view X-ray. If a lot of lower-jaw growth is left, we also consider the timing of treatment that uses growth. If growth is nearly finished, we assess you by the same criteria as an adult.

Why we do thisEven with the same recessed chin, what we can do differs depending on whether growth is still left or has finished. I have studied when one of the growth centers of the facial bones closes, based on age and cervical vertebrae maturation stage, and I explain treatment timing using these criteria.

Side view inside the mouth during treatment, closing the extraction space while moving the upper front teeth back — Two kinds of movement depending on the cause. For protruding upper front teeth, we move the front teeth back. For a long face shape, we intrude the upper molars with mini-screws.

Illustration of how intruding the upper molars lets the lower jaw rotate forward — Two kinds of movement depending on the cause. For protruding upper front teeth, we move the front teeth back. For a long face shape, we intrude the upper molars with mini-screws.

STEP 04

Depending on the cause, we move the front teeth back or the molars up toward the gums

If the cause is protruding upper front teeth and lip strain, we remove premolars and move the upper front teeth back. If the face is long, we place mini-screws between the upper molars and move the molars up toward the gums. As the molars go up, the lower jaw can rotate slightly forward and the chin can look further forward.

Why we do thisWhat we must avoid in treating a recessed chin is the molars coming down instead, which rotates the lower jaw further back. So we use anchors and set the direction of force so that the molar height does not change, or so that the molars move up toward the gums.

Side-by-side comparison of side-view X-rays before and after treatment — Comparison of side-view X-rays at the start and after treatment. We line them up at the base of the skull and check how far the front teeth, lips and chin have moved.

STEP 05

We recheck the profile partway through and adjust the rest of the plan

Partway through treatment, we take new side-view photos and X-rays and overlay them on the first ones. We check whether the chin and lips have moved as planned, and together we decide whether to move the front teeth back further or start finishing.

Why we do thisIf the upper front teeth are moved back too far, the area around the mouth can look sunken and the chin can look even smaller. We decide the final amount by looking at how your profile has actually changed.

Side view inside the mouth after the braces were removed, with the upper and lower teeth fitting together without gaps — Side bite on the day the braces came off. The canines and molars fit together without gaps, and we keep this bite with a fixed retainer and a clear retainer.

STEP 06

We finish the bite and keep it with retainers

We finish the bite of the front teeth and molars and remove the braces. We use a fixed retainer and a clear retainer together. Retainer check-ups and adjustments for 2 years after treatment are included in the orthodontic fee.

Why we do thisMolars moved up toward the gums and front teeth moved back tend to drift a little toward their original positions. In the first year after treatment, we schedule check-ups closer together.

* Clinical photos are published with the patients' consent. Side effects such as temporary pain or discomfort may occur, depending on the person.

04^°

What braces change and what they do not

Braces move the teeth so the lips and chin muscle can relax. They cannot lengthen the lower jawbone or bring the chin bone forward.

What can change · Chin wrinkles when closing the mouth, lip protrusion and how blurred the jawline looks
What can change a little · How far the lower jaw rotates forward when the molars are intruded in a long face (usually a few millimeters)
What does not change · In adults, the length of the lower jawbone and the size of the chin bone
What can change during growth · If lower-jaw growth is left, treatment that uses the direction and timing of growth

For adults who also want to change the chin position, we consider jaw surgery or chin surgery together with braces.

05^°

Comparison of treatment options

	Guiding lower-jaw growth in growing children	Braces (with or without extractions)	Braces + mini-screws (intruding molars)	Surgical orthodontics, chin surgery
For	Children and teens with lower-jaw growth left (used depending on the degree; possible only during growth)	People whose cause is protruding upper front teeth or lip and muscle strain	Long face shape with a high molar area	Adults whose lower jawbone itself is small and who want to change the chin position
How it works	An appliance that holds the lower jaw forward to help the direction of growth	Moves the upper front teeth back to reduce lip strain	Moves the upper molars up toward the gums so the lower jaw rotates forward	Moves the jawbone or chin bone surgically
What changes	Lower jaw position and bite during growth	Chin wrinkles, lip protrusion, profile	Part of the chin position (usually a few millimeters), lower face height	Chin position and facial outline
Limits	Results vary greatly depending on the amount of growth	In adults with a skeletal recessed chin, the chin does not come forward	The change is not large, and mini-screws may loosen	Requires surgery and recovery time
Duration	Usually 6 months to 1 year, used along with braces	Usually 1.5–2.5 years	Usually 2–2.5 years	Usually 2–2.5 years, including orthodontic treatment before and after surgery
Cost	See fee schedule →	See fee schedule →	See fee schedule →	Surgery is done by an oral and maxillofacial surgery department (we can suggest partner hospitals, but you do not have to go there)

06^°

For some people, another treatment comes first, or no treatment is needed

This suits you if

The cause is protruding upper front teeth or strain in the lips and chin muscle
Long face shape with a high molar area
The cause is the lower jawbone during growth (after assessing growth)

Another treatment comes first

Adults with a large skeletal difference who want to change the chin position: consultation on surgical orthodontics or chin surgery
Snoring or breathing problems during sleep: get checked first
Gum inflammation: gum treatment first

No treatment needed for now

A normal bite and only a small difference in profile: we will tell you honestly that braces would change your profile only a little.

07^°

Self-check

When I close my mouth, my chin wrinkles like a walnut shellFrom the side, my mouth sticks out much further than my chinMy upper front teeth sit far in front of my lower teethI look like I have a double chinIt is hard to bite through noodles with my front teethMy child sleeps with their mouth open

If any of these apply, have the cause checked with an exam. You are welcome to send us a relaxed side-view photo and a side-view photo with your mouth closed first.

08^°

Side effects and limits

Please read

· In adults with a skeletal recessed chin, braces alone do not bring the chin forward.

· Moving the upper front teeth back too far can make the area around the mouth look sunken and the chin look smaller, so we calculate the amount together with you.

· Results of growth guidance vary greatly depending on the amount of growth.

· Intruding molars does not produce a large change, and a mini-screw may loosen and need to be placed again.

· The tooth roots may become shorter (root resorption) or the gums may recede.

· If you do not wear your retainers, the front teeth and molars may move back.

FAQ

Will orthodontic treatment for a recessed chin give me a chin?

If the cause is protruding upper front teeth or lip strain, orthodontic treatment can reduce the wrinkles on your chin when you close your mouth and make your jawline show, which can change your profile. In adults whose lower jawbone itself is small or set back, braces alone do not bring the chin bone forward.

Visiting from abroad

Questions from patients who travel to Seoul for treatment.

How much does orthodontic treatment cost?

The fee depends on the appliance. For example, metal braces are KRW 4,800,000, ceramic braces KRW 6,000,000, Invisalign KRW 8,500,000 and lingual braces KRW 8,600,000. The orthodontic fee includes the orthodontic diagnosis, extraction (except wisdom teeth), mini-screws, basic retainers and retention care for 2 years. If you have only the diagnosis and do not start treatment, it is KRW 50,000 (KRW 100,000 if a CT scan is needed). If a retainer breaks or is lost later, remaking it costs extra. International and Korean patients pay the same fees. We explain the total before treatment starts. See our fee schedule.

Can I continue treatment after I go home?

Yes, but it needs a plan. Fixed braces need regular adjustment visits: the first two visits are 2 weeks apart, then usually once a month. Clear aligners are easier from abroad: after you receive your aligners, you visit once every 2–3 months, and between visits we check by photo only if something comes up. Your doctor tells you at diagnosis which method fits your case.

Can I have my consultation in English?

Yes. The doctor in charge of each field consults with you directly in English. For orthodontics, this is Dr. Sunmin Kim, a board-certified orthodontist. Before you travel, you can send photos of your teeth on WhatsApp or by email. An accurate diagnosis is made after we examine you in person.

What happens after treatment, and what if something comes off?

You need retainers after treatment, because teeth tend to move back. Retention care for 2 years is included in the orthodontic fee. If a bracket comes off or a wire hurts after you go home, send us a photo on WhatsApp. We check it and tell you what to do. Some repairs need a visit.

Results, the number of visits and schedules vary from person to person. More questions: Visiting from abroad.

OrthodonticsMy mouth looks like it sticks out→OrthodonticsWhen should my child start orthodontic treatment?→OrthodonticsMy bite is so deep that my lower teeth are hidden→OrthodonticsMy front teeth do not touch→OrthodonticsMy braces are finished, but I worry my teeth will shift again→OrthodonticsWhere and how should I get orthodontic treatment?→

Treatment results and side effects can vary from person to person.

You can ask us first with a side-view photo

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