A Surgery-first approach in surgical-orthodontic treatment of mandibular prognathism--a case report

The conventional approach in orthodontic surgery treatment of dentofacial anomalies requires a varied period of pre-surgical orthodontic treatment. This presurgical period is considered to be important for adequate surgical treatment and stable results. This period is usually long bothersome for patients because dental decompensation is required and there is consequent deterioration of aesthetics and function, especially in cases of skeletal Class III occlusion. At Chang Gung Craniofacial Center, a surgery-first approach (SFA), i.e. minimal pre-surgical orthodontics, is one of the treatment choices for Class III patients. In this report, we present a 19-year-old man with mandibular prognathism, an anterior open bite and severe dental crowding treated with SFA. The patient received orthognathic surgery a week after bracing of the teeth. The operation and recovery were uneventful as well as the following orthodontic treatment. The total treatment time was only four months, much shorter than with the conventional approach. The patient benefitted from immediate improvement of the facial profile after surgery, and a much shorter total treatment, and the results were not compromised. We believe in selected cases, SFA is a good and effective treatment alternative.