HOSA Dental Terminology Practice

What does the term 'prognathia' refer to?

1. Overbite

2. Developmental malocclusion

3. Intervention orthodontics

4. Open bite

The correct answer is: Developmental malocclusion

The term 'prognathia' is used to describe a developmental condition where there is an abnormal protrusion of the jaw, particularly the mandible. This condition often results in a malocclusion, meaning that the alignment of the teeth when the jaws are closed is not optimal. It can lead to issues such as difficulty in chewing, speech problems, and aesthetic concerns. The correct answer relates directly to this understanding of prognathia as a specific type of developmental malocclusion. In contrast, the other options don't accurately capture the meaning of prognathia: overbite pertains specifically to the alignment of the upper teeth over the lower teeth; intervention orthodontics refers to treatments aimed at correcting malocclusions or misalignments but does not define prognathia itself; and open bite describes a specific dental condition where the upper and lower teeth do not adequately close together—again, distinct from the broader category of developmental malocclusion that prognathia represents.