Table of contents:
- Retrognathia is a structural disorder of the jaw
- Various things can cause retrognathia
- Treatment options for retrognathia
If you've been complaining of jaw pain when you chew food or just open your mouth, you may have retrognathia. Although not dangerous, this condition can cause respiratory problems if left untreated. What is retrognathia?
Retrognathia is a structural disorder of the jaw
Retrognathia is a condition in which the structures that make up the lower jawbone are too backward compared to the upper jaw. As a result, people with this condition are more likely to "overbite," a condition when the upper front row of teeth is more advanced than the lower front teeth.
This disproportionate structure of the jawbone can also cause a person to experience sleep disturbances, intense jaw pain, and difficulty biting and chewing food.
A person with this condition is also more prone to experiencing TMJ jaw pain which can also cause spasms of the muscles around the jaw joint. This condition can also cause respiratory problems, especially while sleeping or when lying on your back. People with this condition are also more likely to experience sleep apnea.
An imprecise jaw position causes the tongue to cover the airway, which can cause abnormal stopping of breath, choking, snoring, or shortness of breath.
In certain cases, this condition can also reduce self-confidence because it causes the appearance of the face to be asymmetrical.
Various things can cause retrognathia
There are many things that can cause a person to experience this condition. One of them is family history. Yes, if there is a family member who has an abnormal jawbone structure, you will be more likely to experience it too.
Retrognathia can also occur if you've had an injury to your face that has caused a fracture of your jawbone or a sliding jaw.
Not only that, this condition can also occur due to various conditions related to rare genetic disorders, such as:
- Pierre-Robin Syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by a smaller than normal size of the lower jaw and an abnormality in the position of the tongue blocking the airway.
- Hemifacial macrosomia. The condition of one side of the face is not fully grown and is not well developed.
- Nager syndrome. This rare condition affects the shape of the jaw and cheeks as well as the growth of the sufferer's hands and arms.
- Treacher Collins syndrome. This condition affects various bones in the face, including the jaw.
Treatment options for retrognathia
The treatment options for this condition depend on the degree of redness. In children, orthodontic treatment may be effective in correcting the appearance of an incongruous jaw. One way to do this is to use a special head covering that is made to slow down the growth of the jaw, so that the upper and lower jaw can get better.
Mild retrognathia in adolescents and adults, pain medication, ice packs, and massage, may reduce symptoms. Meanwhile, for severe cases, surgery to repair the structure of the jawbone may be needed.
Installation of a dental splint or bite plates also can be done to treat severe cases of retrognathia.
