How to define long face syndrome?
Long face syndrome is a disorder characterized by a narrow and long face. It affects your performance or efficiency level. The condition is clinically referred to as facial hyper divergence.
Long-Face Syndrome or facial hyper divergence occurs when the organs on your face are abnormally placed. That is, the lower portion is longer than the other portions, and the organs (eyes, nose, mouth, and jaw) have abnormal dimensions. Studies show that it could be caused by several factors, such as;
- Vertical maxillary excess (gingival smile)
- Vertical excess of the jaw (large chin)
- Open bite (when the anterior part of the teeth doesn’t touch)
- Small face (normal face length is normal, but the width or breadth is abnormal.)
- Inability to differentiate between the neck and chin. That is, your neck looks like a continuation of your face.
Your doctor can tell you have Long face syndrome without any strenuous test because the lower part of your face, jaw, and chin is longer than normal. In most cases, your upper gums are highly distinct when you smile. You may also experience dark spots or your skin may hang downwards.
The syndrome may be difficult to diagnose because its physical features are mild and may go unnoticed. The signs are typically minor, you may not even know you have the condition.
It would help to know that if long face syndrome is not treated early it can result in several medical complications. The complications occur because the lower portion of the face hangs downward away from the remaining portion of the face. As a result, you may find it difficult to perform daily activities such as chewing, speaking, and breathing. Some medical complications experienced include:
- Snoring
- Sleep apnea [1]
- Fatigue [2] or always feeling weak
- Improper arrangement of your jaw
- An abnormal number of teeth (higher than normal)
- Worn down or broken teeth
Due to the mildness of the physical symptoms, you mostly have one or two of these complications before realizing you have the syndrome.
How do you know when you have long face syndrome?
The fastest means of identifying facial hyper divergence is thoroughly analyzing your face visually. Your face may appear elongated, and in some cases, your smile may show more gums than usual.