Micrognathism

Micrognathism is a condition where the jaw is undersized. It is also sometimes called mandibular hypoplasia. It is common in infants, but is usually self-corrected during growth, due to the jaws' increasing in size. It may be a cause of abnormal tooth alignment and in severe cases can hamper feeding. It can also, both in adults and children, make intubation difficult, either during anesthesia or in emergency situations.

Causes

While not always pathological, it can present as a birth defect in multiple syndromes including:

• Catel–Manzke syndrome
• Bloom syndrome
• Coffin–Lowry syndrome
• Congenital rubella syndrome
• Cri du chat syndrome
• DiGeorge syndrome
• Ehlers–Danlos syndrome
• Fetal alcohol syndrome
• Hallermann–Streiff syndrome
• Hemifacial microsomia (as part of Goldenhar syndrome)
• Incontinentia pigmenti
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Marfan syndrome
• Möbius syndrome
• Noonan syndrome
• Pierre Robin syndrome
• Prader–Willi syndrome
• Progeria
• Silver–Russell syndrome
• Seckel syndrome
• Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome
• Treacher Collins syndrome
• Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome)
• Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)
• Wolf–Hirschhorn syndrome
• X0 syndrome (Turner syndrome)

Diagnosis

It can be detected by the naked eye as well as dental or skull X-Ray testing.

See also

• Human mandible
• Macrognathism
• Retrognathism