Scar due to skin incision for screw fixation through the transbuccal approach after sagittal split ramus osteotomy

Most rigid fixation techniques after sagittal split ramus osteotomies of the mandible involve the transbuccal approach. A skin incision in the cheek carries with it possible undesirable sequelae, such as noticeable scarring. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is scarring in the face after this technique. For screw insertion, a 5-mm stab incision was performed on 40 Japanese patients (20 men and 20 women) with class III occlusion. After surgery, gross examination (via the naked eyes) of the skin incision was performed monthly for 1 year by the same oral surgeon. In all cases, the skin incision had disappeared by 1 year after the surgery.