Condylar resorption in orthognathic surgery. The role of intermaxillary fixation

Condylar resorption that occurs after orthognathic surgery was investigated in a large sample of patients treated in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Free University in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The findings correspond with previous publications on this subject. In a 1-year follow-up study the role of intermaxillary fixation was investigated radiologically. In a group of 158 patients prone to show occurrence of condylar resorption, 24 (26.4%) of the 91 patients treated with intermaxillary fixation showed signs of condylar resorption. In the group of 67 patients treated without intermaxillary fixation only eight (11.9%) of the patients showed signs of reduced volume of the condyle. Avoidance of intermaxillary fixation seems to reduce the incidence of condylar resorption after orthognathic surgery in patients with a mandibular deficiency with high mandibular plane angle.