[Surgical correction of the smile in short face syndrome]

The surgical correction of short face syndrome was greatly improved with the use of miniplate fixation which reduces dramatically the rate of vertical relapse. This work reports on five adult patients treated with an unusual Le Fort I osteotomy because no pterygomaxillary separation was done. The Le Fort I osteotomy was isolated (1 case) or associated with a mandibular advancement (3 cases) or a vertical augmentation genioplasty (1 case). Neither bone grafting nor any material was ever used in the bony gap. The range of vertical lengthening of the anterior maxilla measured in the operative period was 7 mm to 3 mm. Cephalometric tracings were used to study results and stability. The ratio skeletal lengthening soft tissue increase was near 90 percent. A very good stability in the post operative period with a follow up to one year is noted with a rate vertical relapse around 10 percent. No complications were noted with the procedure.