Soft-tissue changes in association with anterior maxillary osteotomy: a pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Orthognathic surgery
• Craniofacial surgery
• Maxillofacial surgery

Background:

• Anterior maxillary osteotomy is a surgical procedure affecting facial structure.
• Understanding its impact on soft-tissue changes is crucial for treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and predict soft-tissue alterations in the forehead, nose, lips, and chin following anterior maxillary osteotomy.
• To establish correlations between hard- and soft-tissue changes.
• To develop a predictive model for soft-tissue response.

Main Methods:

• Lateral cephalograms were used to assess hard- and soft-tissue changes in 20 adult patients.
• Measurements were taken immediately before and 7 months after surgery.
• Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis were employed.

Main Results:

• Hard-tissue changes were confined to the maxillary region.
• Soft-tissue changes included backward displacement of the subnasale, upper, and lower lips.
• A significant correlation was found between hard- and soft-tissue changes, particularly in the upper lip.

Conclusions:

• Anterior maxillary osteotomy influences both hard- and soft-tissue morphology, especially in the upper lip region.
• The horizontal soft-tissue changes in the upper lip can be predicted using regression analysis.
• This study provides a basis for predicting surgical outcomes and optimizing treatment plans.