Your smile is a great calling card: having aligned and white teeth gives us a healthier appearance and has a very positive influence on our self-esteem. But did you know that the way you bite can significantly affect your image?
In many cases, occlusion problems are a lack of facial harmony. Despite being less frequent than other malocclusions such as, for example, retrognathia, prognathism is one of the most influential on the physical appearance of the people who suffer from it.
In this article we will tell you what can cause this bite problem and how it can be corrected.
What is prognathism?
Also known as skeletal class III, prognathism is an occlusion problem that affects a percentage of the population between 1 and 3%.
It is an anomaly in the development of the facial bones that involves an accentuated growth of the mandible in relation to the upper jaw. In this way, the mandible acquires a forward position and therefore a problem of occlusion occurs, which greatly affects the facial structure.
People suffering from prognathism usually have a very pronounced chin. But, beyond the aesthetic consequences, this malocclusion has numerous functional disadvantages and can have a negative influence on the general state of health.
What is skeletal class iii
Real case of prognathism
Consequences of prognathism
The most visible consequence of skeletal class III is its repercussion on the image of the person who suffers from it, becoming in many cases his or her identity sign. This directly influences their self-esteem, especially in the case of patients who are in their adolescence.
But, in addition, this occlusion problem has numerous consequences on the state of your teeth and gums and also on your general health.
Among them, we can highlight:
Headaches
Chewing discomfort
temporomandibular joint overload and jaw pains
Diction problems -lisp is typical in people who present class III-.
Unwanted contact between teeth, which can lead to wear and tear and, in turn, increase the risk of tooth decay.
But, to what factors can we link the origin of this malocclusion?
Causes of Class III
In this regard, we can speak of 4 different factors that are associated with the origin of prognathism:
Genetic factor: existence of a family history of suffering from this occlusion problem.
An early fall of the primary molars
Syndromes associated with an anomaly in the hypophysis, related to an excessive production of growth hormone -gigantism, Crouzon syndrome-.
Mouth breathing or improper placement of the tongue inside the arch.
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If it is very severe, prognathism is a malocclusion that is easy to detect even with the naked eye. In the presence of these signs, the ideal is to go to a specialist dentist so that he/she can study your case properly.
Diagnosis of prognathism
When you go to see the specialist, he or she will perform a series of diagnostic tests: photographs and X-rays. The dentist will evaluate the growth patterns of the patient’s facial bones and, depending on the case and the patient’s age, will act in one way or another.
The procedure when dealing with a case of prognathism differs greatly depending on whether the patient is an adult or a developing patient. Therefore, specialists stress the importance of early diagnosis.
But what is the ideal treatment for prognathism?
Early diagnosis of prognathism has a very positive influence on treatment.
How is prognathism corrected?
The procedure necessary to treat skeletal class III depends mainly on the age of the patient. The treatment is significantly less invasive if this occlusion problem is diagnosed at an early age.
For this reason, specialists stress the importance of making a first visit to the pediatric dentist at approximately 6 years of age.
At this appointment, the specialist will be able to detect any anomaly in the development of the facial bones, including prognathism. To correct these malocclusions in children, the specialist will opt for interceptive orthodontic treatment.
These procedures are aimed at acting on the growth of the bone bases, correcting malpositions at a very early age. Its guideline is suitable for children with mixed dentition -that is, they are undergoing tooth replacement and, in the mouth, they have both permanent and temporary teeth-.
Interceptive procedures are based on the use of appliances -generally removable- that the child will have to wear mostly at home. To correct prognathism, the most indicated are:
The chin guard, whose purpose is to slow down the exacerbated growth of the jaw.
The facial mask which, on the contrary, stimulates the development of the maxillary bone. Generally, in this case, the use of a palate disjunctor is also prescribed to correct the crossbite.
Orthodontics for children
Orthodontic face mask
On many occasions, after completing the interceptive treatment, it will be necessary to place a corrective orthodontic appliance -generally metal brackets or sapphire, in the case of adolescents who are more demanding with their image-. In this way, the specialist will correct the dental malpositions once the bones are in the right position.
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However, the situation is different if the prognathism is diagnosed in adulthood. In these cases, the only option is to opt for a combined orthodontic and orthognathic surgery treatment. This consists of three distinct phases:
A first orthodontic treatment lasting approximately one year with the aim of placing the teeth in the correct position with respect to the bone bases.
The intervention at hospital level
A second orthodontic procedure to correct possible deviations in the dental positions after the operation.
The operation carried out to correct the prognathism is known as mandibular osteotomy. It is performed in a hospital under general anesthesia.
It lasts approximately two hours, although this is an estimated time that may vary depending on the complexity of the case.
Although these combined orthodontic and orthognathic surgery procedures are complex and invasive treatments, the aesthetic and functional benefits are very noticeable.
If you would like to know first-hand the experience of one of our patients who chose us for his combined orthodontic and orthognathic surgery treatment, we invite you to listen to Sergio’s testimony.
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- About the Author
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The distinguished Dr. Alberto Wintergerst Fisch is an specialist in Maxillofacial Surgery and has more than 15 years of experience in various prestigious institutions such as DrAW Clinic and Dental Glaf.
He trained as a Dental Surgeon at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, later he completed a specialty in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the same institution and a Master’s Degree in Health Organization Administration at La Salle University.
He is attached to the National Medical Center “20 de Noviembre” of the ISSSTE and certified by the Mexican Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Thanks to this, Dr. Wintergerst Fisch is recognized as one of the best specialists in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Mexico City and the country.
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