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On January 23, 2024, A24 released a documentary titled ‘Open Wide’ on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. A24, an American independent entertainment company known for its film and television production, as well as film distribution, has brought forth a controversial documentary, especially for those in dentistry. ‘Open Wide’ delves into the story of a father and son determined to challenge conventional orthodontics.
According to the official logline, “John Mew has waged a lonely war against orthodontics and that teenage rite of passage – braces. With his son, Mike Mew, now taking up the fight, Mew’s fringe theories suddenly find an enthusiastic audience online.” While their orthotropic mewing procedure has gone viral on various social media platforms, it hasn’t shielded them from controversy. The British Orthodontic Society has threatened to revoke Mike Mew’s dental license and expel him from the practice, just as the General Dental Council did to his father in 2017.
John and Mike Mew’s technique of “mewing,” has been seen as highly contentious in the field of orthodontics. This technique is intended to lift the jawline, redirect teeth growth, and overall make one’s face more “publicly acceptable and appealing”.
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Orthotropics vs Orthodontics
Orthotropics and orthodontics are similar in that both are dental practices aimed at addressing facial and dental concerns, but they require different methods to achieve their goals. According to AligneForLife, orthodontics, the more commonly known practice, focuses on aligning teeth and jaws using braces, Invisalign, tooth extraction, or surgery to correct misaligned bites and teeth. In contrast, orthotropics emphasizes facial development, striving to improve facial appearance by correcting mouth posture and widening bone features. This practice does not involve surgery, tooth removal, or direct tooth manipulation. Orthotropic treatment focuses on developing better facial features, prioritizing the face over individual teeth. The result is not in “one-size-fits-all” tooth alignment, but in improving crowding and enhancing overall facial structure.
Mewing is a form of orthotropics that focuses on jaw posture and facial/oral exercises to change the shape of the face and jawline. It emphasizes maintaining a certain tongue posture, which should be up and flat, resting on the soft palate like a trampoline, as described in the documentary.
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The Children Around the World Continue to Ask the question
The Perfect Smile?
What defines the perfect smile? Does such a thing even exist? Dr. John Mew believes he knows the answer. According to him, modern faces do not meet the “perfect” standard. He believes it all starts with what we eat as babies, how we chew, and the posture of our tongue. Dr. Mew states, “We’re taught that genetics plays a primary role in jaw development, but it’s not possible for genetics to be so precise without any environmental influence.”
Dr. John Mew knew he wanted to be a dentist before the age of 10 and has dedicated his life to studying faces. He considers himself a lateral thinker, constantly coming up with new ideas from a young age. As he delved deeper into dentistry, he grew increasingly unhappy with the effects of traditional orthodontics on young people, describing them as “purely mechanical cures” that often do more harm than good. He explains, “I believe it’s better to try and lodge the jaws, to take the whole lot forward, which also provides room for the teeth.”
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An interesting way of thinking, to say the least, but Dr. Mew is firm in his beliefs. After being treated with traditional orthodontics himself and feeling dissatisfied with the results, he decided to part ways with traditional methods. Determined to do things differently for his children, he created his own appliance, called the Biobloc. Regarding his three kids he stated, “It’s very convenient to be able to experiment on your children. Most people do it socially, but I also do it medically.” Even admitting that he knows he should be in prison for experimenting on them.
The Biobloc, designed by Dr. John Mew, is a tool used to treat patients. It resembles a modern-day retainer but features two sharp spikes on the plate. Many have accused Mew of child abuse for using this method, to which he responded, “I have designed the plates to hurt. If the child drops their jaw, you might call it child abuse, but I would call it training.” Orthodontists considered Mew’s treatment to be incorrect and unethical, and took their concerns to the General Dental Council (GDC), the dental liscensing authority in England. The GDC agreed with the criticism, concluding that Mew’s methods were harmful and needed to be stopped. Consequently, Mew had his license revoked. However, what the GDC didn’t anticipate was that Mewing wouldn’t end there. John’s middle child, Mike Mew, soon followed in his father’s footsteps, continuing the controversial practice.
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Mike Mew
Mike Mew chose to establish his practice in Denmark, where the acceptance of his orthotropic principles was more likely compared to England, where his father’s controversial ideas had met backlash. Having worked closely with his father for over 20 years—often assisting in patient meetings from a young age—Mike was influenced by his father’s approach to ortho. He remarked, “I couldn’t bear to do conventional orthodontics and damage people’s faces,” indicating his early interest that he was meant for this field.
He was passionate in wanting to share this alternative approach, so turned to social media, believing it could help elevate the visibility and acceptance of orthotropics and the mewing process. His consistent efforts to create viral content paid off, as he discovered a growing online presence in his practice. At that time, orthotropics was relatively unknown compared to traditional orthodontics, and Mew saw it as an opportunity to solve people’s problems.
As his online presence grew, he built up enough attention to be invited as a guest speaker at numerous conferences, where he shared his insights and furthered the reach of his innovative approach.
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Mewing on TikTok
Dr. Mike Mew was amazed by the viral success of his and his father’s practice on TikTok, noting, “My surname became a verb.” The trend quickly captured public interest, with many people viewing it as a way to enhance their facial appearance, particularly the side profile. Creators began promoting the technique, offering advice on how to “mew” and sharing how long it takes to see results.
However, questions arise about the validity of these claims, as there is limited scientific research on the time required to observe changes. In a documentary, Tomazzo (a mewing influencer) shared, “Mewing has changed my life. I look better. I’m healthier. I’m fitter,” reflecting on the trend’s impact. Mewing has become associated with ideals of attractiveness, such as a sharp jawline, and is now seen as a simple solution for those seeking alternatives to traditional orthodontics or those dissatisfied with their previous orthodontic treatments.
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Defining Beauty
At a conference, Mike Mew confidently asserted, “We all know what the perfect face looks like” and urged, “Don’t be happy with where you are, get off your butt and change.” While his directness reflects his commitment to his practice, both he and his father—who is notably outspoken about his dissatisfaction with conventional orthodontics and certain facial shapes—can come across as blunt and critical. This approach might not resonate positively with everyone. Beauty is inherently subjective; what one person might find unattractive, another could see as appealing. As long as one’s facial structure doesn’t lead to health issues like breathing problems or discomfort, there’s no need to alter it just to meet external standards. Change should be motivated by personal health needs and individual satisfaction, not by societal judgments. Patients of the Orthotropics and Mewing have also spoken up about health benefits that have helped them due to the Mews’ orthotropics. Thus, a balanced view on this topic, is important. To form your own opinion on John and Mike Mew’s practices versus traditional orthodontics, watching the film yourself is essential.
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Available for Streaming
Directed by Sara Goldblatt, ‘Open Wide’ is now available for streaming. The documentary has garnered a 5.8/10 rating on IMDb, reflecting a range of mixed reviews.
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Kaili Spooner’s passion lies in sports journalism and Black TV/Film, and her writing strongly aligns with The Hollywood Insider’s values of delivering factual and in-depth coverage. While her future career goal is to be a sports journalist and do social media work for the NBA/WNBA, for now, she balances her academic pursuits with being a collegiate volleyball player at SSU and unwinding with her favorite comedy and drama sitcoms at home.
Kaili Spooner’s passion lies in sports journalism and Black TV/Film, and her writing strongly aligns with The Hollywood Insider’s values of delivering factual and in-depth coverage. While her future career goal is to be a sports journalist and do social media work for the NBA/WNBA, for now, she balances her academic pursuits with being a collegiate volleyball player at SSU and unwinding with her favorite comedy and drama sitcoms at home.
