Progenia is a disease of the jaw. This is misaligned (dysgnathia). A reverse overbite of the incisors (so-called frontal crossbite) is characteristic of progenia.
What is progeny?
The term progeny is used in dentistry to describe a massive misalignment of the jaw. Since the term is increasingly perceived as misleading because it only describes a protruding chin, the new literature primarily uses the term dysgnathia. See healthknowing for What is the Definition of Labyrinthitis.
Progeny is classified as a subset of the various dysgnathia. A reverse overbite (also called frontal crossbite) is characteristic of this jaw misalignment. The incisors in particular are in an unusual position. Prognathism is usually not limited to the teeth, but extends to the entire jaw.
As a result, progeny can result in various functional impairments. Damage to other parts of the lower skull area is also conceivable.
Causes
Progeny usually cannot be traced back to a monocausal cause. That means it usually has more than one cause. In the dental literature, however, genetics plays a major role. Dysgnathia can therefore be inherited in a dominant manner.
In addition, other developmental incentives are also identified that can lead to the formation of a jaw misalignment such as prognathism. These include functional disorders of the tongue (so-called dyskinesia) or deviations from the regular physique (morphological anomalies).
Morphological abnormalities that can lead to the development of progeny are, for example, an enlarged tongue or a severely restricted ability to breathe in the nose, which leads to almost complete breathing through the mouth. These are all factors that can cause the jaw to grow poorly, leading to prognathism.
Cleft lip and palate should also be considered. The scars caused by this can inhibit jaw growth. In summary, the most common causes of progeny are heredity (genetics), tongue dysfunction (dyskinesia), morphological abnormalities (e.g., reduced ability of the nose to breathe), and scarring that is the result of a cleft lip and palate.
Symptoms, Ailments & Signs
A progeny has primarily visual effects. This means that the malposition of the jaw is visible to the naked eye (often even for the layperson). The jaw often moves forward so that the lips cannot be fully closed.
The lower lips are shifted forward compared to the upper lip. The facial parts of many of those affected appear concave and the nasolabial fold is noticeably deepened. Complaints caused by progenia (dysgnathia) include (among others): difficulty chewing or speaking, pain in the entire jaw area and reduced ability to breathe through the nose.
Diagnosis & course of disease
Dentists make the diagnosis of progenia purely visually. The typical features of the face are observed and evaluated. This determines the degree or severity of the misalignment. Since a distinction is made between true and true progeny in jaw surgery, the two manifestations are often clearly differentiated as part of a diagnosis.
While true progeny is characterized by overdevelopment of the lower jaw, false progeny is characterized by an underdeveloped upper jaw. Underdevelopments of the middle face are also attributed to false progeny. Mixed forms are also possible. X-rays can therefore also be carried out for precise differentiation. This enables a more detailed view.
When should you go to the doctor?
If irregularities in the position of the teeth or jaw appear during the growth and development process of the child, a doctor should be consulted. An overbite of the teeth in the frontal area is characteristic of progeny. If the incisors of the upper and lower jaw do not line up correctly, the observations can be discussed with a doctor. In principle, however, a regular check-up visit with a doctor should take place in advance. This enables rapid intervention if there are changes and abnormalities in the jaw area. If there are serious disruptions in development, a quick correction can be initiated in these cases during the growth process.Dentist appear.
If there are problems with the chewing process or if there is a speech impediment due to the impairment, a doctor should be consulted. Pain, swelling or swallowing disorders should be examined and treated.
Those affected who, despite the progeny, do not perceive any impairments, should decide for themselves whether the shifts are a reason for a doctor’s visit. In some cases, it is an optical defect that does not require any medical action. If the person concerned or the guardian does not explicitly request treatment, no further steps need to be taken.
Treatment & Therapy
Jaw malpositions such as progeny or dysgnathia can be treated in different ways. After a comprehensive diagnosis, which differentiates between real and fake dysgnathia, the possible forms of treatment are discussed. Depending on the age of the patient or the severity of the disease, various treatment options are available.
It is possible, for example, to use special devices that have to be worn continuously over a longer period of time. As a result, the misalignment of the jaw can be improved by up to five millimeters in a conservative way. However, this method is considered to be quite tedious and painful. Treatment is also conservative with specially made braces.
This shifts the lower rows of teeth (dental compensation of the lower jaw). Surgery is also an option, especially in difficult cases. The upper and lower jaws are surgically adjusted. Corrections to the lateral view of the face are often also made. The costs are covered by health insurance companies if there is an indication.
Prevention
Jaw malpositions can best be prevented by early detection of morphological deviations. A lot can still be achieved in childhood using conservative methods. The development of a complete progeny or dysgnathia can possibly be prevented in this way.
This can make dental compensation of the lower jaw or surgical treatment unnecessary. It is therefore advisable to bring children to dental examinations at an early age. Because the treating dentist will notice misalignments of the jaw, so that conservative therapy can be started at an early stage.
Aftercare
In the case of progeny, those affected usually have only a few and usually only limited follow-up measures available. Those affected should therefore consult a doctor as soon as the first symptoms of this disease appear, so that there are no complications or other symptoms as the disease progresses. Early diagnosis and subsequent treatment usually have a very positive effect on the further course of the disease.
In the case of progeny, most patients are dependent on an operative intervention, through which the symptoms can be relieved permanently. Strict bed rest should be maintained after such a procedure, also avoiding exertion or physical and stressful activities. In general, with this disease, a healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet can have a very positive effect on the further course of the disease.
Even after a successful surgical procedure, regular check-ups and examinations by a doctor are very important in order to monitor the current state of the progenia. As a rule, this disease does not reduce the patient’s life expectancy. The further course depends heavily on the time of diagnosis, so that a general prediction is usually not possible.
You can do that yourself
People who suffer from a malposition of the jaw should check carefully whether a change is medically necessary or whether it is just an optical defect. If the displacements of the jaws are minimal and the chewing process is not affected, no correction is often required. This means that the person concerned should build up their self-confidence in order not to experience emotional irregularities in everyday life.
With a trained progeny, there are abnormalities in vocalization. The pronunciation is unclean and can be practiced independently by the patient. In therapy, various exercises are practiced to improve vocalization. These exercises can be repeated independently several times a day so that there is an improvement.
If the food cannot be ground sufficiently due to the malposition and gaps between the teeth, the food intake must be changed. The components of the meals should already be broken up into smaller pieces before being fed by mouth. This avoids complications and supports the act of swallowing. Swallowing and disturbances in digestion are to be avoided.
Despite the illness, a daily sufficient tooth cleaning should be carried out. This is more difficult for patients with braces . Nevertheless, it is important to ensure that food is removed twice a day and that no deposits form on the tongue.