Accuracy of 3-Dimensional Virtual Surgical Simulation Combined With Digital Teeth Alignment: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Medical Imaging
• Computer-Aided Surgery

Background:

• Orthognathic surgery planning traditionally relies on 2D imaging and physical models.
• Accurate 3D visualization of treatment outcomes is crucial for successful orthognathic surgery.
• Virtual surgical simulation offers potential for improved pre-operative planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accuracy of 3D virtual surgical simulation with digital teeth alignment for orthognathic surgery.
• To evaluate the technique's applicability in diagnosing and establishing 3D visualized treatment objectives.
• To compare virtual simulation outcomes with actual post-treatment results.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 11 patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.
• Construction of 3D digital models from pre- and post-treatment CT scans and dental casts.
• Performance of virtual surgical simulation with digital teeth alignment.
• Comparison of landmark positions between virtual simulation and post-treatment images using statistical tests.

Main Results:

• Differences in landmark positions between virtual simulation and post-treatment images were generally below 2 mm and not statistically significant.
• High concordance was observed for most skeletal landmarks between virtual simulation and post-treatment images.
• Dental landmarks showed a wide range of concordance, indicating areas for potential refinement.

Conclusions:

• 3D virtual surgical simulation combined with digital teeth alignment is a sufficiently accurate method for orthognathic surgery planning.
• The technique effectively aids in the diagnosis and establishment of visualized treatment objectives.
• This approach enhances pre-operative planning by providing reliable 3D visualizations.