Maintaining the space between the mandibular ramus segments during bilateral sagittal split osteotomy does not...

Area of Science:

• Orthognathic surgery
• Maxillofacial surgery
• Dental implants

Background:

• Three-dimensional computer-assisted orthognathic surgery enables simulation of the intersegmental gap in the mandibular ramus.
• Facial asymmetry correction often involves managing this gap post-surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in screws and mandibular bone from early postoperative to debonding stages.
• To determine the association between intersegmental gap volume and these changes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) study of 31 patients.
• Assessed stability of bicortical positional screw fixation after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy.
• Measured intersegmental gap volume (T1) and changes to T2 (debonding).

Main Results:

• No significant screw-related linear or angular changes were observed between T1 and T2.
• Minor, clinically insignificant bone-related changes occurred.
• No significant correlation found between gap volume and screw/bone changes.

Conclusions:

• Bicortical positional screws offer stable fixation for the mandibular ramus segments.
• This technique is clinically acceptable for correcting facial asymmetry, regardless of intersegmental gap size.