Prognathism Overview
Learn About Prognathism
Prognathism is an extension or bulging out (protrusion) of the lower jaw (mandible). It occurs when the teeth are not properly aligned due to the shape of the face bones.
Extended chin; Underbite
Prognathism may cause malocclusion (misalignment of the biting surfaces of the upper and lower teeth). It can give a person an angry, or fighter's appearance. Prognathism may be a symptom of other syndromes or conditions.
An extended (protruding) jaw can be part of a person's normal face shape that is present at birth.
It can also be caused by inherited conditions, such as Crouzon syndrome or basal cell nevus syndrome.
It may develop over time in children or adults as the result of excess growth in conditions such as gigantism or acromegaly.
A dentist or orthodontist may be able to treat abnormal alignment of the jaw and teeth. Your primary health care provider should also be involved to check for underlying medical disorders that can be associated with prognathism.
Contact a provider if:
- You or your child have difficulty talking, biting, or chewing related to the abnormal jaw alignment.
- You have concerns about jaw alignment.
The provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions regarding your medical history. Questions may include:
- Is there any family history of an unusual jaw shape?
- Is there difficulty talking, biting, or chewing?
- What other symptoms do you have?
Diagnostic tests may include:
- Skull x-ray (panoramic and cephalometric)
- Dental x-rays
- Imprints of the bite (a plaster mold is made of the teeth)
This condition may be treated with surgery. An oral surgeon, plastic facial surgeon, or ENT specialist may perform this surgery.
Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital
Eric Holmgren is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and an Otolaryngologist in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Dr. Holmgren and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Prognathism. His top areas of expertise are Mouth Sores, Mouth Ulcers, Periodontitis, and Pyogenic Granuloma. Dr. Holmgren is currently accepting new patients.
Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital
Rocco Addante is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and a General Surgeon in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Dr. Addante and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Prognathism. His top areas of expertise are Leukoplakia, Osteochondroma, Mouth Ulcers, and Mouth Sores. Dr. Addante is currently accepting new patients.
Sebastien Jacquemont practices in Montreal, Canada. Jacquemont and is rated as an Advanced expert by MediFind in the treatment of Prognathism. His top areas of expertise are Autism Spectrum Disorder, Fragile X Syndrome, Microcephaly, and Achalasia Microcephaly Syndrome.
Background: Some head and facial abnormalities are rare and present at birth. Others are more common, and may not show up until puberty. These conditions have different causes and characteristics. Researchers want to learn more about these conditions by comparing people with face, head, and neck abnormalities to family members and to healthy volunteers without such conditions.
Summary: Factors influencing the prognosis of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have been extensively studied. Previous studies have found that elevated serum total bilirubin levels are associated with cardiac death, heart failure readmission, and all-cause mortality in patients with chronic heart failure. However, the relationship between direct bilirubin and prognosis i...
Published Date: March 31, 2024
Published By: Michael Kapner, DDS, General Dentistry, Norwalk Medical Center, Norwalk CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Baker SB, Chang BL, Singh A. Cleft and craniofacial orthognathic surgery. In: Losee JE, Hopper RA, eds. Plastic Surgery: Volume 3: Craniofacial, Head and Neck Surgery and Pediatric Plastic Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 21.11.
Dhar VK. Malocclusion. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 355.
Koroluk LD, Jackson TH. Adolescent patients. In: Stefanac SJ, Nesbit SP, eds. Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Dentistry. 4th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2024:chap 17.