The stability of bilateral sagittal ramus osteotomy and vertical ramus osteotomy after bimaxillary correction of class III malocclusion
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Treatment of Facial Deformities using 3D Planning and Printing of Patient-Specific Implants
Published on: May 23, 2020
Andris Abeltins1, Gundega Jakobsone, Ilga Urtane
1Department of Orthodontics, Riga Stradins University, Dzirciema Street 20, Riga, LV 1007, Latvia. aabeltins@navigator.lv
Introduction:
The purpose of this retrospective cephalometric study was to compare the stability of bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) with extra-oral vertical ramus osteotomy (VRO) after correction of class III malocclusion by means of bimaxillary orthognathic surgery.
Methods:
The sample comprised 51 consecutively treated patients, 38 females and 13 males, with a mean age of 19.1 years. All had a one-piece Le Fort I osteotomy with maxillary advancement and mandibular setback. VRO was performed in 30 cases, and BSSO was performed in 21 cases. Lateral cephalograms were obtained before surgery, within 1 week of surgery and 1 year after surgery.
Results:
The mean forward movement of the maxilla was 5.6 mm in both groups (p<0.001). The mean horizontal surgical change in the VRO group was 4.4 mm (p<0.001), and in the BSSO group it was 5.4 mm (p<0.001). In the VRO group, the horizontal relapse was 1.2 mm (p<0.001), and in the BSSO group, it was 1.4 mm (p<0.001).
Conclusion:
There was no difference in the stability between the BSSO and VRO groups. The average relapse in the whole sample was 26% of the surgical movement.
