Is the advancement of the upper jaw a genetic problem? What are the ways to treat this problem? Can it be prevented? Read the article to find out the answer. Maxillary prognathism is a problem that a person may be born with or may acquire as a result of some health conditions, which we will learn about in more detail in this article: What are the reasons for the advancement of the upper jaw?

The problem of maxillary advancement can be hereditary, so that the child is born with this jaw and is not associated with a health problem. In other cases, it may be a sign of one of the following diseases:

1. Acromegaly

Acromegaly is a rare disease that affects 60 people per million, and is caused by the pituitary gland exaggerating the secretion of growth hormone.

It results in enlargement of the extremities and organs, such as the advancement of the upper jaw, and other symptoms, such as:

Swelling of the tongue and nose.

Sweating more.

Decreased vision or haze.

Loss of sexual desire.

Headache.

You can see cases of this disease in the same family, but it is often not a hereditary disease, and it can cause some complications if it is not treated, such as: diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, and heart disease.

2. Basal cell nevus syndrome

This syndrome is rare, as it affects one person for every 31,000 people, and it causes a number of symptoms to appear, including the advancement of the upper jaw, in addition to the following symptoms:

a big head.

cleft lip.

eye spacing.

Spinal problems such as kyphosis.

A number of complications can also result when neglecting to treat this syndrome, such as: vision loss, hearing loss, epilepsy, and intellectual disability.

3. Acrodysostosis

Terminal dysostosis is characterized as a rare disease characterized by short limbs and the appearance of signs of the disease on the face, such as the advancement of the upper jaw, and a number of other symptoms, such as:

Short stature.

short limbs

curvature of the spine

Small and upturned nose.

The distance between the eyes.

Two small ears.

Hearing problems.

mental disorder

What are the symptoms of maxillary advancement?

Symptoms of maxillary advancement

Mismatch of the upper and lower teeth.

speech problems

Eating and chewing problems.

breathing problems

How is maxillary advancement treated?

The doctor treats this problem by

1. Surgery to adjust the shape and size of the jaw

Through this surgery, he adjusts the shape of the jaw bones to give them a normal shape, and the jaw needs a period ranging from 9 months to a year to appear normal, while the recovery period ranges from one to six weeks after the operation.

Specific foods are eaten by the doctor during the recovery period, and it is likely to eat normally after a maximum of six weeks if no complications occur. As for preventing jaw progression, it is not possible when the cause is genetic.

2. Treatment of the causative agent

In the event that the progression of the upper jaw is due to a health problem, the doctor requests to undergo more treatments in addition to surgery, including:

Treatment of acromegaly: dispensing drugs that limit the secretion of growth hormone, and the cause may be a tumor that the doctor works to remove either by radiology or through surgery.

Treatment of basal cell nevus syndrome: surgery if the cells are cancerous or a treatment plan based on the affected limb.

Treatment of peripheral ossification: dispensing nutritional supplements for bone growth, in addition to seeking help from an audiologist and speech therapist.