Surgical orthodontics

This was an interesting year for the surgical orthodontic literature. Excellent large long-term studies addressed the stability of rigid versus wire fixation, lag screws versus bicortical screws, and osteotomy site selection. The effect of orthognathic procedures on speech and hearing deficits, condylar position, and the patient's psyche were reported in detail. Possible solutions to financial difficulties and the concern about blood transfusions were presented. Treatment failures and prediction shortcomings were candidly discussed.