Prognathism

Alternative names:

extended chin

Definition:

A relative increase in the size of the lower jaw, with the jaw sticking forward beyond the plane of the face.

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:

• inherited facial shape
• acromegaly
• Scheie syndrome
• basal cell nevus syndrome
• Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome
• Sotos syndrome
• Miescher syndrome

Note: There may be other causes of prognathism. This list is not all inclusive, and the causes are not presented in order of likelihood. Use the Symptom Analysis option to explore the possible explanations for prognathism, occurring alone or in combination with other problems.

Update Date: 02/09/00
Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director, Utah Health Informatics and adam.com editorial