Clear aligners combined with orthognathic surgery: a case series

The goal of this study was to describe a series of orthognathic surgery cases in which a clear aligner system was used for orthodontic treatment. A total of 16 cases were undertaken. A majority of the patients were female (68.75%), and the mean age of the patients was 26.78 years (SD 10.85 years). The most frequent malocclusion was Class II (56.25%), mainly caused by mandibular retrognathism (80.00%). Most of the patients were treated with single-jaw surgeries (56.15%). Orthodontic buttons and elastics were used for maxillomandibular fixation in 81.25% of the patients. The mean (SD) treatment period was 19.00 (1.11) months, and the postsurgical follow-up varied from 6 months to 10 years. Good results were achieved with orthognathic surgery and the adjunctive use of clear aligners, and no damage was noted during the orthosurgical treatment. Since clear aligners provide an esthetic, removable appliance and may be more acceptable to patients than conventional orthodontic appliances, the use of clear aligners in orthognathic surgery is a promising alternative to traditional orthodontics.