Prognathism

By: Peter Brennan

The History of Prognathism
● Prognathism is derived from the greek words pro (forward) and gnathos
(Chin)
● Prognathism was extremely prominent in the Habsburg royal family due to
excessive inbreeding of royal families in Europe
○ This has led to the nickname - The Habsburg Chin
● Due to the distinct features of the chin it is very easy to spot
● Jay Leno is the most well known person with prognathism
○ He plays the superhero Crimson Chin in Fairly Odd Parents
Symptoms of the Disease
● Jaw protrudes further on either the upper or
lower jaw
● This causes a severe over or underbite
● People with this have a very distinct physical
appearance
● It increases the likelihood of teeth falling out
and gum disease
● The main effect on the family is affording the
treatment
Causes of the Disease
● The causes of Prognathism is believed to have be linked to having
XXY,XXXY, and the XXXXY syndromes
● Although the disease is related to the X chromosome, no link has yet been
made
● The exact gene location has not yet been determined
● Autosomal Dominant
Treatments for the Disease
● Treatments for this disease are simple
○ Braces are used to correct the jaw
○ Proper tooth care is important to avoid gum disease
○ Medication can be used to avoid gum disease
○ Surgery can even be done to fix jaw alignment
● The biggest symptom is a mental identification crisis
○ Antidepressants are usually prescribed
Identification of the Disease
● If the disease is prominent you will have a very protruding draw
● If treatment is successful than the jaw would be less protruding but still
noticeable
● If the parents carry the gene prognathism there is a chance to pass on the
trait
Bioethical Considerations for the Disease
● This disease is not as big of a problem as many other genetic diseases
● People that have prognathism do not take a vow to not reproduce due to the
low severity of this disease
Occurance Rate Information
● Studies were done on 52 families
○ 158 Men and 214 Women were affected with the disease
■ Ratio of 1:1.35
● In this study 14.3% of children with parents that carried Prognathism
demonstrated the traits
● Human Population
○ Initial P=0.030
○ Initial Q=99.97
○ Ending P=0
○ Ending Q=1
Bibliography
Works Cited

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2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17000450.

“Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic Revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7720.

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Inglis-Arkell, Esther. “A Family in Spain Displayed Three Generations of the ‘Habsburg Jaw.’” io9, io9.Gizmodo.com, 15 Jan. 2015, io9.gizmodo.com/a-family-in-

spain-displayed-three-generations-of-the-h-1679771704.

“Oral-B Pro-Health Cross Action Toothbrush.” Dentist.net, www.dentist.net/products/oral-b-crossaction-pro-health-toothbrush.

“Prognathism.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Feb. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prognathism.

“Prognathism.” MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003026.htm.