Function of masticatory system after surgical-orthodontic correction of maxillomandibular discrepancies

Thirty-two subjects were interviewed about their pre- and post-treatment symptoms of craniomandibular disorders (CMD) and examined for signs of CMD at follow up 2-5 years after surgical-orthodontic treatment for maxillomandibular discrepancies. Symptoms of CMD were among the main reasons for seeking treatment in 31% of the patients. Patients with retrognathic mandibles had significantly more severe symptoms than patients with mandibular prognathism before treatment. After treatment, the severity of subjective symptoms had decreased for the patients as a whole, and significantly in the subjects with originally severe symptoms. Ten subjects out of 12 reported a decrease in the occurrence of headache. The clinical findings of CMD after surgery were usually mild. The importance of occlusal adjustment and rehabilitation as final steps after surgical-orthodontic treatment is stressed.