Incidence and management of condylar resorption after orthognathic surgery: An overview

Condylar resorption (CR) is one of the major post-surgical complications of orthognathic surgery. This systematic review (SR) aimed to evaluate epidemiological data, risk factors, and therapeutical management of CR.

Six databases were screened by two investigators until September 2020 to obtain all SRs. After reading the titles and abstracts, eligible SRs were determined and data extraction was performed. Using the latest version of A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews, the methodological quality of the included SRs was determined.

Ten SRs with low or critically-low methodological quality were included in this review. Mandibular hypoplasia on the sagittal plane and hyperdivergent growth pattern on the vertical plane were the most common skeletal alterations in which CR could occur after orthognathic surgery. Post-operative condylar changes were analyzed both on two-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) radiographic examinations. The incidence of CR was not related to the fixation method. Based on the severity of the pathological conditions, management of CR can include conservative or surgical therapy.

Despite the limited evidence in literature, CR is considered a consequence of orthognathic surgery. However, an accurate diagnosis of CR and a better orthognathic surgical planning must include 3D radiographic examinations to improve pre- and post-surgical comparison. Well-designed studies with long-term follow-up and 3D data are needed to clarify the findings of this analysis..