What is Prognathism?
Prognathism is a condition in which part of the jaw protrudes, causing the chin or upper jaw to jut forward. It can be genetic, as in the case of the famous Hapsburg jaw, or it can be the result of a medical condition. Depending on the severity of the prognathism, various treatments can be used to reduce the protrusion. Medical treatment is usually used when the jutting jaw interferes with eating, breathing, or speaking, or if someone feels profoundly uncomfortable about his or her facial structure. There are three types of prognathism: mandibular, maxillary, and alveolar. In mandibular prognathism, the lower jaw protrudes, causing the chin to jut out from the face. Maxillary prognathism involves the upper jaw, and typically creates an elongated facial appearance. Patients with alveolar prognathism experience abnormalities around the part of the jaw where the teeth are located, with the teeth jutting out from the face at an angle. In some cases, prognathism is simply genetic. People fr
