Correcting the Future: How Early Orthodontic Treatment Can Transform Lives for Children with Prognathism

This is Jo Moon-kyung, a health caster for KNN Well-being Life, the radio doctor for 8 million listeners in Busan and Gyeongnam.

If you have a prognathism, which means your lower jaw is long, large, and protrudes forward, it is recommended to get corrective treatment as early as possible because it can cause problems not only in terms of appearance but also in terms of the functionality of your teeth and jaw.

In this episode of Wellbeing Life, we will learn more about corrective treatment for prognathism during the growth period.

Today, I’m Dr. Hyunjeong Park, an orthodontic specialist. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you. I am Park Hyeon-jeong, an orthodontic specialist.

Teacher, I’m curious about what exactly is a prognathism and what causes it. Could you explain in detail?

There are genetic and environmental factors that cause a prognathism.

Genetically, the lower jaw may be long and large, or the upper jaw may be small and positioned backwards, or both may act in combination. If you have a prognathism, the size of the lower jaw and the upper jaw are very different, so the upper and lower teeth do not meet and are spaced apart. If you cannot breathe through your nose due to rhinitis, allergies, or other causes and continue to have habits such as mouth breathing or tongue sticking out for a long time since your growth period, this can be an environmental factor that causes a prognathism.

In young children, the main cause is not the size of the lower jaw being excessively large, but the upper jaw being small. In this case, the tongue position is not raised toward the palate and remains low, so the child often appears to be sticking out his tongue. When the lower jaw grows rapidly around puberty, when growth and development are rapid during adolescence, a prognathism occurs. This is when there is a genetic tendency for a prognathism, and the facial and dental characteristics of a prognathism become more prominent as they go through the period of rapid growth during puberty.

I see. Besides what you mentioned, what other characteristics does a prognathism have?

A prognathism is when the upper and lower teeth do not fit together properly, making it difficult to chew food, and also causing pronunciation to be slurred and unclear. In addition, it is not aesthetically pleasing, and can give an impression that is too strong, which can lead to an appearance complex. There are cases where the front teeth bite backwards before the permanent teeth have fully grown in, and if treatment is started early, it can prevent it from progressing to a more severe skeletal Class 3 malocclusion.

There are cases where people postpone treatment and leave the problem as it is until they grow up and undergo double jaw surgery because they are young. However, if you receive appropriate orthodontic treatment during the growth period, you can help the small upper jaw grow and properly control the direction of the lower jaw growth, reducing the possibility of needing double jaw surgery later.

If my child has a genetic prognathism, I wonder if it is treatable. What is the process?

In cases where the lower jaw is large from a young age, in the past, devices were used to suppress the growth of the lower jaw, but now the treatment focuses on restoring the narrow upper jaw width to normal and promoting the growth of the upper jaw. Parents with young children, please take a close look at your children. If the permanent front teeth grow and the lower teeth cover the upper teeth, causing the teeth to bite backwards, or if there was no prognathism when they were children, but they show a prognathism as they grow rapidly around puberty, they need to see a specialist for diagnosis and treatment.

I see. During the growth period of a child, the shape of the face changes frequently. If a prognathism is confirmed, I am also curious about when the most effective treatment period is. Please explain in more detail.

The methods for treating prognathism while there is still growth are first, using a device to widen the width of the upper jaw if it is narrow, second, using a device to eliminate the crossbite and backward biting of the front teeth that hinder the growth of the upper jaw, and third, using a device to promote the growth of the upper jaw.

In the case of growing children with a tendency to protrude chin, treatment is provided using a face mask device. This device is easy to use, painless, and can effectively treat protruding chin. It is a great advantage in that it is used only at night at home, so it does not interfere with school life or outside activities.

The point of treatment for prognathism during the growth period is the upper jaw, not the lower jaw. This is because the lower jaw continues to grow late and has limitations in growth control, while the upper jaw responds well to growth control compared to the lower jaw. Also, since the upper jaw stops growing early, treatment should be started quickly if treatment is needed. Wearing a face mask for 12 hours a day at night can effectively achieve growth in cases of prognathism with a small upper jaw. The principle is to wear it every night for 1-2 years before puberty, when rapid growth occurs.

Okay. Are there any things I should know after getting my chin treated?

Even after receiving treatment for prognathism and class 3 malocclusion during the growth period, continuous monitoring of the growth of the lower jaw is necessary until physical growth is complete in adulthood. Also, you should be careful of bad habits such as mouth breathing, tongue sticking out, and chewing food on only one side, as these can be factors in causing malocclusion.

I understand. In the case of growing children, changes can continue even after treatment is finished. Please remember to have regular dental checkups and take appropriate measures if abnormalities occur.

KNN Wellbeing Life, the radio doctor of 8 million listeners in Busan and Gyeongnam. This was Dr. Park Hyeon-jeong, an orthodontic specialist.