Three-dimensional assessment of functional change following Class 3 orthognathic correction--a preliminary report

Orthognathic surgery is a well-documented clinical procedure for patients who complain of functional and aesthetic problems related to dento-facial imbalance. The aims of treatment are to establish facial harmony, normalise function and maximise the stability of the outcome. Conventional diagnostic aids to treatment include plain film radiographs and photographs which provide a static analysis of the facial structures at a particular point in time. Functional assessment of facial movement is rarely performed but could have important implications on the stability of the surgery through post-surgical soft tissue adaptation to the new skeletal relationships. A case report is presented for which novel three-dimensional motion analysis techniques were used to assess facial movement through the surgical correction of a Class 3 malocclusion. It was found that facial movement increased for all circum-oral postures post-surgery. Future research in this field recommends collection of data from a control group to allow comparisons of facial movement between different surgical samples.