FORMA FEATURE / CHIN & JAWMandibular ramus: measurements, ratios, and research
The ramus is the upright back portion of the mandible. Much of it is covered by muscle and other tissues; its full bony height is not directly visible in a photograph.
How mandibular ramus is measured
Bony ramus height needs defined skeletal landmarks and appropriate imaging. A visible ear-to-jaw distance is only a surface proxy.
Ratios, ranges & competing claims
65–75° — Survey preference for ramus slope
The male-jaw survey preferred a ramus inclination of 65–75° relative to the Frankfort horizontal.
Study: Slope is not length. It cannot provide a target ramus height or justify estimating bone dimensions from selfies. The ideal male jaw angle—An Internet survey
Height + body orientation — Read posterior jaw height in context
Compare the posterior jaw height with the mandibular body’s length and downward slope. A longer-looking ramus and a less steep body can both place the visible jaw corner lower; those appearances should be described separately.
Measurement note: An anatomical interpretation, not a tested attractiveness ranking. Surface ear-to-angle distance is a proxy; skeletal ratios require defined bony landmarks. Facial Landmarks Determination with Different Digital Scanners: An In Vivo Study
Practical takeaway
Read posterior height and slope together.
Use the survey’s inclination as a reference for the back edge of the jaw. For apparent length, examine where the jaw corner sits relative to the mandibular body and chin.
What changes the answer
A low jaw corner can reflect greater posterior height, a different body slope, or both. Chin height and head orientation change the impression of a long ramus; ear-to-corner distance does not isolate bone length.
Connected facial features
Explore the interactive atlas and compare this feature with both fixed reference views.