Assessment of bone density changes following two-jaw surgery using multidetector computed tomography: A pilot study

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Orthodontics
• Bone Metabolism

Background:

• Orthognathic surgery is a complex procedure to correct jaw discrepancies.
• Understanding bone density changes post-surgery is crucial for predicting outcomes.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated bone density alterations at various sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively evaluate bone density changes at alveolar and extra-alveolar sites after two-jaw orthognathic surgery.
• To compare pre- and post-surgical bone densities using multidetector computed tomography.
• To investigate potential correlations between bone density and surgical procedures like genioplasty.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 10 patients undergoing two-jaw orthognathic surgery.
• Multidetector computed tomography scans obtained pre- and post-operatively.
• Measurement of bone density at maxillary and mandibular alveolar sites, and extra-alveolar sites (head, menton, condyle, C4).

Main Results:

• A general trend of decreased bone density was observed post-surgery.
• Statistically significant reductions in bone density were noted in maxillary and mandibular alveolar bone, menton, and C4.
• No significant differences in bone density were found related to alveolar bone depth or the inclusion of genioplasty.

Conclusions:

• Reduced bone density following orthognathic surgery may correlate with accelerated tooth movement.
• The study provides insights into bone metabolism shifts after orthognathic procedures.
• Further research is warranted to explore these bone metabolism changes.