Condylar positional changes after mandibular advancement surgery with rigid internal fixation

The purpose of this retrospective investigation was to describe condylar positional changes in patients after mandibular advancement surgery. By superimposing on clearly identifiable cephalometric landmarks (ie, mandibular symphysis and rigid fixation screws), condylar positional changes from immediately after surgery to orthodontic appliance removal were extrapolated. Although the mandibular symphysis generally moved in either an anterior or posterior direction after surgery, condylar movements were exclusively in an upward vertical direction. Correlations were found between several measured variables, including a tendency for increased superior postsurgical movement of the condyles with increasing magnitudes of surgical advancement of the mandible. This long-term instability of skeletal relationships may be caused by a wide variety of interacting factors and events.