If you have an asymmetrical face, especially a rather short, compact looking face, it may be due to a normal compensatory cranial strain pattern from a Left AIC body twist pattern. This does not mean your system has major issues. It is a normal physiological adaptation for being stuck in the right stance phase of gait, particularly if your occlusion and vision have no problems. You may need to train standing on the left side with PRI techniques to resolve the underlying dominant Left AIC pattern.
- Signs that need further investigation:
- rather long face
- molars do not contact
- open bite, crossbite, crowded teeth
- any vision issues
Reasons behind facial asymmetry
Facial asymmetry is complex and relates to how the body aligns, bends, and shifts to interact comfortably with the world when the stabilization system malfunctions. Compensation attempts become visible as facial asymmetry. Destabilizing causes include malfunction of these subsystems:
- musculoskeletal (postural and dynamic)
- visual subsystem
- occlusal (bite alignment) subsystem
Cranial bones with alignment issues
- Temporal bones
- Sphenoid
- Maxilla
- Mandible (jaw)
- Occiput (back of the skull)
TMCC and compensation patterns
The Temporomandibular Cervical Chain (TMCC) controls the neck, stabilizes it during respiration, supports the scapula, voice box, and provides the base for skull and jaw. The common Left cranial sidebend (R TMCC) pattern compensates a Left AIC and Right BC pattern.
- head tilts left with chin level at atlanto-occipital joint
- temporal bones: externally rotated left, internally rotated right
- mandible pulled left
- sphenoid rotated right and lower left
- maxilla rotates right
Visual outcome of left cranial sidebend:
- lower left eye
- more prominent left ear
- chin shifted left
- compact midface on left
Right cranial torsion
Right cranial torsion is an added layer on the R TMCC pattern. It twists the head right via the upper cervical spine, often from right upper trap pull on the occiput. The sphenoid and occiput rotate opposite directions, unlike left sidebend. Features include:
- chin deviates right
- lower left eye
- left ear sometimes prominent
- possible vision, hearing, occlusion, autonomic issues
How to fix facial asymmetry
A full fix requires visual evaluation of the whole body from head to toe. Muscle imbalance is a full-body event across chained muscles, so permanent resolution needs whole neuromuscular system adjustment.
- chewing on one side: no, asymmetry is bone-driven adaptation not load lack
- sleeping on other side: no, same logic
- stretching one muscle: fails, body-wide system overrides it
The real cause is muscle adaptation to neural input, posture, breathing, and movement. Lasting change needs fixing those parameters, not isolated muscle work.