Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Ask Our Experts

Get answers to your specific medical questions from UM Medical Center experts.

Note: This is for informational purposes only. Doctors cannot provide a diagnosis via e-mail.

 

Related Content

UM Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Our Services

Patient Success Stories

Our Doctors

Prognathism

Definition:

Prognathism is a extension of the jaw (mandible) that occurs when problems in the shape of the face bones cause the teeth to be improperly lined up (misaligned).  

Alternative Names:

Extended chin

Considerations:

Prognathism may cause malocclusion (misalignment of the biting surfaces of the upper and lower teeth), giving some people an angry or fighter's appearance. Prognathism may be a symptom of various syndromes or conditions.

Common Causes:

An extended (protruding) jaw can be part of the normal facial shape a person is born with. It can also be caused by inherited conditions such as Crouzon syndrome or basal cell nevus syndrome . You can develop it as a child or adult from gigantism or acromegaly .

Prognathism

Prognathism

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

adam.com