Bone-plates for stabilizing Le Fort I osteotomies

16 adults were treated by inferior repositioning of the maxilla. Miniaturized plates were used for stabilizing the jaw in its new position. No interpositional bone grafts were used but the osteotomy spaces were covered by strips of cancellous iliac bone. Healing was uncomplicated. Retrospective cephalometric study of the results of treatment showed a mean frontal vertical relapse of about 20% (range 0-100%). The relapse occurred during the early postoperative period. No linear correlation was found between the amount of vertical repositioning and the anterior vertical relapse. We consider that the mini-plate technique is more advantageous than previous methods.