Current status of the surgery-first approach (part I): concepts and orthodontic protocols

The surgery-first approach for orthognathic correction of maxillary deficiency-is it stable? Three-dimensional assessment of CBCT scans and digital dental models

The aim of this study was to determine the skeletal stability of Le Fort I maxillary advancement following the surgery-first approach, by three-dimensional (3D) assessment of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans and digital dental models. CBCT scans of 25 class III patients obtained 1 week preoperatively (T0) and 1 week (T1) and 6 months (T2) postoperatively were superimposed to measure surgical movements (T0-T1) and skeletal relapse (T1-T2). The distorted dentition of the CBCT scans at T1 was replaced with 3D images of the dental models to assess the postoperative occlusion. Surgical movements of the maxilla (mean ± standard deviation values) were 6.79 ± 2.30 mm advancement, 1.28 ± 1.09 mm vertically, and 0.71 ± 0.79 mm mediolaterally. Horizontal rotation (yaw) was 1.56° ± 1.21°, vertical rotation (pitch) 1.86° ± 1.88°, and tilting (roll) 1.63° ± 1.54°. At T2, the posterior relapse was 0.72 ± 0.43 mm (P = 0.001) and relapse in pitch was 1.56° ± 1.42° (P = 0.007). There was no correlation between the size of the surgical movements and the amount of relapse. A weak correlation was noted between the number of teeth in occlusal contact immediately following surgery and relapse of maxillary roll (r = - 0.434, P = 0.030). The stability of maxillary advancement with the surgery-first approach was satisfactory and was not correlated with the quality of the immediate postoperative occlusion.

Effect of surgery-first approach on quality of life and mental health of orthognathic patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

This study intends to explore the effects of the surgery-first approach (SFA) on quality of life and mental health of patients who undergo orthognathic surgery compared to the conventional three-stage approach (CTA).

Data

The analysis included eight studies with a total of 307 patients, of which one was randomized controlled trial (RCT), one was clinical controlled trial (CCT), and six were non-randomized studies of interventions (NRSIs).

Sources

Electronic databases such as Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for eligible trials up to April 2023.

Study selection

RCTs, CCTs, and NRSIs, which compared the quality of life or mental health of orthognathic patients treated with SFA and CTA, were included in this study. The meta-analysis showed that the standardized mean differences (SMD) of Oral Health Impact Profiles-14 (OHIP-14) scores and the Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) between SFA and CTA were -1.58 (P = 0.05) and -2.99 (P < 0.00001) at the termination of the first-stage treatment, which altered to -0.94 (P = 0.54) and 0.09 (P = 0.65) after total treatment. Two studies applied the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) to examine mental health, resulting in a trend similar to the former scales.

Conclusion

In contrast to the conventional procedure, orthognathic treatment with SFA can instantly enhance the quality of life at the end of the first-stage treatment but has similar effects after the overall treatment. Moreover, SFA has a positive impact on psychological conditions.

Clinical significance

This study first systematically reviewed the effect of SFA on patients' mental well-being. According to our findings, it is better to select SFA if possible. Otherwise, the patient's psychological condition should be monitored appropriately throughout decompensation for better well-being both physically and mentally.

Outcome measures of the surgery first approach for orthognathic correction of dentofacial deformities

In the surgery-first approach (SFA), orthognathic surgery is performed without the need for presurgical orthodontic treatment. This study was aimed at assessing the treatment durations and occlusal outcomes for a consecutive cohort of patients, with a range of dentofacial deformities, who had completed orthognathic treatment using SFA. The duration of orthognathic treatment was measured. The overall change in occlusion, and the quality of the final occlusion, were evaluated using the patients' study casts. A single, independent, calibrated operator carried out the occlusal scores, using the validated Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index. This was repeated to test intraoperator reliability. A total of 51 patients completed surgery-first treatment during the study period. The mean (range) age at surgery was 23.3 (15-47) years. The pre-treatment skeletal jaw relationship was Class III in 39 cases, and Class II in 12 cases. The mean (SD) overall treatment duration was 11.7 (5.7) months. The intraexaminer reliability of assessing the occlusion was high. The PAR scores confirmed a significant improvement in the quality of occlusion at the completion of treatment, which compares favourably with previous studies on the conventional orthodontics-first approach. The surgery first approach can be effective at correcting both Class II and Class III malocclusion types with reduced treatment times.

Evaluation of orthodontists' experience with the surgery first protocol in orthodontic-surgical management

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was to analyze the popularity of surgery first among orthodontists as well as the protocols used for its implementation and to collect the opinions (favorable or unfavorable) of practitioners and patients regarding it.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A questionnaire was sent to a population of dental surgeons qualified in Dentofacial Orthopedics or in the process of specialization (residents) practicing in France. The questionnaire consisted of a total of 27 questions. There were 10 open-ended questions and 17 closed-ended questions (8 binary and 9 multiple choices). The conditional pathway allows the respondent's path through the form to be modified based on their answers. This survey was conducted using Google Forms online survey software.

RESULTS

On average, the responding practitioners had 15.9 years of experience, and most of them (78.2%) work in private practice. Most treated between 200 and 400 cases per year, of which 7% were surgical cases. Orthodontists who are familiar with and practice the surgery first protocol use it on average for 7 cases per year. The most frequent indication for the surgery first protocol was: transverse maxillary defects.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgery first protocol is a preferred option in cases of high severity since it prevents respiratory worsening during the pre-surgical orthodontic phase. The lack of a standardized protocol for this approach, at the pre-surgical and post-surgical levels, requires an increase in the number of high-level evidence publications to clarify the methods of application of this protocol.

Dental Occlusion Characteristics for Treatment Decision-Making Regarding Surgery-First Approach in Orthodontics

The surgery-first approach (SFA) is conducted to decrease the difficulty and duration of orthodontic treatment by correcting the skeletal discrepancy at the initial stage of treatment. However, the indication of the SFA has not been well defined yet. This study explored the dental occlusion characteristics for treatment decision-making regarding the SFA. A total of 200 skeletal Class III patients were consecutively collected and divided into two groups: the orthodontic-first approach (OFA) group and the SFA group. The pretreatment digital dental models and lateral cephalograms were measured. Logistic regression was completed and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were obtained to predict the probability of the SFA. Results showed that the ROC model with L1-MP, upper and lower arch length discrepancy, overbite, and asymmetric tooth number as influencing factors revealed that the sensitivity and specificity for determining SFA were 83.0% and 65.0%, respectively; the accuracy of prediction was 75.0%. In conclusion, our findings indicate that the six measurements from digital dental models and lateral cephalograms can be effectively applied in treatment decision-making for the SFA with satisfactory accuracy.

Mandibular asymmetry retreatment with minimal presurgical orthodontic preparation and fully customized lingual orthodontics: A case report with new possibilities using blender open-source software

New possibilities such as Surgery-first and Minimal Presurgical Orthodontics have become extra alternatives for patients, orthodontists, and oral and maxillofacial surgeons, with immediate facial improvements, reduced preparation time, and shorter treatment time. The purpose of this case report was to demonstrate the retreatment of a female patient, dissatisfied with the instability of the compensatory orthodontic treatment, chin deviation, and forward inclination of the maxillary incisors, which was successfully treated with Minimal Presurgical Orthodontic approach associated with customized lingual brackets and virtual planning on the open-source Blender 3D software, where the post-surgical maxillary lingual brackets were also designed. Orthodontic preparation was performed in 5 months. After surgery, orthodontic treatment was finished with the aid of mini-implants and miniplates. The total treatment time was 18 months. Great facial and occlusal results were obtained and the patient was satisfied. Overall, all treatment steps were performed following a digital workflow and open-source software. It is possible to conclude that Minimal Presurgical Orthodontic Preparation was an excellent alternative for the retreatment of this patient with mandibular asymmetry and increased treatment expectations. Additionally, the surgical planning and design of lingual braces with open-source software can be considered useful and low-cost alternatives for orthodontists.

Three-dimensional evaluation of postoperative stability: a comparative study between surgery-first and surgery-late protocols

The main objective of this study was to compare the stability of the surgery-first and surgery-late approaches according to the standardized centre protocols, by three-dimensional evaluation after 1 year of follow-up. A retrospective study was designed that included a test group (surgery-first protocol) and a control group (surgery-late protocol), with a follow-up period of at least 1 year (average 14 months; range 12-24 months). Stability was evaluated using linear and angular measurements by superimposing cone beam computed tomography images obtained at specific points in time: preoperatively, 1 month after surgery, and at the end of the orthodontic treatment. A total of 56 patients with a mean age of 32.2 ± 11.1 years were included in the study. After surgery there were significant changes in all of the measurements in at least one dimension in both groups (except for the transverse maxillary dimension), which remained stable at the end of the treatment, with no statistically significant differences between the two groups. At the 1-year follow-up, both groups presented a SNA angle relapse; this relapse was more significant in the surgery-late group (P = 0.031) and was present only in Class III patients (P = 0.013). In conclusion, an equivalent three-dimensional stability between surgery-first and surgery-late protocols was demonstrated after 1 year of follow-up when eligibility criteria were strictly adhered to.

Face comparison analysis of patients with orthognathic surgery treatment using cloud computing-based face recognition application programming interfaces

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to investigate whether the postoperative change in patients after orthognathic surgery, whose facial aesthetics was affected, led to detectable differences using Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services Rekognition, and Face⁺⁺, which were commercially available face recognition systems.

METHODS

Photographs of 35 patients after orthognathic surgery were analyzed using 3 well-known cloud computing-based facial recognition application programming interfaces to compute similarity scores between preoperative and postoperative photographs. The preoperative, relaxed, smiling, profile, and semiprofile photographs of the patients were compared separately to validate the relevant application programming interfaces. Patient characteristics and type of surgery were recorded for statistical analysis. Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests were performed to analyze the relationship between patient characteristics and similarity scores. Multiple-comparison Wilcoxon rank sum tests were performed on the statistically significant characteristics.

RESULTS

The similarity scores in the Face⁺⁺ program were lower than those in the Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services Rekognition. In addition, the similarity scores were higher in smiling photographs. A statistically significant difference was found in similarity scores between relaxed and smiling photographs according to different programs (P <0.05). For all 3 facial recognition programs, comparable similarity scores were found in all photographs taken before and after surgery across sex, type of surgery, and type of surgical approach. The type of surgery and surgical approach, sex, and amount of surgical movement did not significantly affect similarity scores in any facial recognition programs (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The similarity scores between the photographs before and after orthognathic surgery were high, suggesting that the software algorithms might value measurements on the basis of upper-face landmarks more than lower-face measurements.

Evaluation of mandibular positional changes after orthognathic surgery in skeletal class II and class III surgery-first approach patients

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to predict and compare postoperative changes of mandibular position between mandibular setback and advancement surgery in a surgery-first approach (SFA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study population included patients who underwent mandibular setback or advancement surgery using bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy, those were divided into two groups: mandibular setback and advancement surgery. Surgical and postoperative mandibular positional changes were evaluated by lateral cephalograms and CTs taken within 2 months before surgery (T0), 1 week after surgery (T1), and after the debonding procedure (T2). The postoperative mandibular positional changes were predicted from the increase in vertical dimension (VD) in surgical occlusion and the counterclockwise rotation to the preoperative VD on the lateral cephalograms and CT at T1. Furthermore, resultant measurement on postoperative mandibular positional changes was performed. Finally, we compared the prediction with actual positional changes of the mandible after the debonding procedure.

RESULTS

Nine SFA patients with mandibular setback surgery and six with advancement surgery were evaluated and significant mandibular changes from T0 to T1 and from T1 to T2 were observed. Negative correlation between horizontal surgical changes and postoperative horizontal changes was present in both groups. The difference between the predicted and actual amount of postoperative mandibular movement was significant in the mandibular advancement surgery group.

CONCLUSION

Postoperative mandibular relapse appeared much larger in the mandibular advancement surgery group than in the setback group. Therefore, it is more important to consider the postoperative mandibular position change in mandibular advancement surgery in SFA.

Our problems and observations in 3D facial implant planning

BACKGROUND

Three-dimensional renderings of two-dimensional computed tomography data have allowed for more precise analysis in the craniofacial field. Design, engineering, architecture, and other industries have paved the way for the manipulation and printing of three-dimensional objects. The usual planning is only carried out based on the bony structures, often without taking into consideration the presence of soft tissues and soft structures. During our practice, we have found ourselves facing the challenge posed by these structures; the aim of this article is to discuss our experience in designing implants presenting our tips and tricks for a better planning leading to an easy and reliable positioning.

CASE PRESENTATION

We have retrieved all patients in 5 years among those who underwent computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing implant placement in the last 5 years in order to review the eventual problems and the solutions found. A total number of 25 patients were retrieved and, among them, 10 patients were selected, in which planning inaccuracy caused difficulties during implant placement and which then led to induced changes during the planning of similar cases or in which the problems were noted before or during the planning which led to changes in the plan to address those problems. Six of the selected cases were polyetheretherketone facial implants for the correction of residual deformities in malformed or deformed patients. One case was a delayed orbital reconstruction with a titanium implant. Two cases were titanium functional and anatomical reconstruction of the mandible in patients with failed post-oncological reconstructions. There was 1 case with a mandibular ramus complex and hard-to-treat fracture.

CONCLUSIONS

The planning of the implant mostly relies on hard tissue three-dimensional reconstruction, but it should not be limited at what is immediately evident. A surgeon's clinical experience should always guide the process, with knowledge of the patient's anatomy and evaluation of the quality and of the soft tissue response being taken into consideration. The implant should always be tailored not only based on the bone defect and evaluations but also using the patient's previewed and actual anatomy, evaluating eventual interferences and pitfalls.

Effects of maxillary advancement on maxillary incisor display in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and cleft lip and palate

INTRODUCTION

The information on the hard- and soft-tissue factors correlated with tooth display after LeFort I osteotomy, especially in the surgery-first approach (SFA), are limited. This study aimed to correlate different parameters with the maxillary incisor display in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and those with cleft lip and palate (CLP) in SFA.

METHODS

This study consisted of 35 patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and 32 with cleft deformities who had undergone orthognathic surgery. Pretreatment and posttreatment lateral cephalometric analysis were obtained. Maxillary incisor display was measured in photographs. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to assess the intraexaminer repeatability. The Student t test was used to compare the maxillary incisor display between 2 groups. Analysis of covariance was performed with pretreatment measurement as covariates, and the important determinants for maxillary incisor display were identified by adjusting the baseline measurements.

RESULTS

The mean increase of maxillary advancement at point A was 5.25 mm and 1.28 mm downward movement for skeletal Class III malocclusion, whereas it was 4.59 mm advancement and 2.16 mm downward movement for patients with CLP. The resulting maxillary incisor display was 2.86 mm for skeletal Class III malocclusion and 2.56 mm for patients with CLP. The covariates for maxillary incisor display before intervention was significantly associated with the maxillary incisor display after intervention (P <0.001). However, the interaction effect of groups was not seen (P = 0.933). The horizontal position of A, vertical position of ANS, and upper lip length were the most predictable parameters (P <0.001, P <0.001, P = 0.048, respectively) for maxillary incisor display in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Horizontal position of point A, vertical position of ANS, and upper lip length are the most important determinants for maxillary incisor display for patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion and those with CLP.

Multidisciplinary approach to Gorlin-Goltz syndrome: from diagnosis to surgical treatment of jawbones

Background

Gorlin syndrome, also known as Gorlin-Goltz syndrome (GGS) or basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) or nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS), is an autosomal dominant familial cancer syndrome. It is characterized by the presence of numerous basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), along with skeletal, ophthalmic, and neurological abnormalities. It is essential to anticipate the diagnosis by identifying the pathology through the available diagnostic tests, clinical signs, and radiological manifestations, setting up an adequate treatment plan.

Main body

In the first part, we searched recent databases including MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, and the Cochrane Library by analyzing the etiopathogenesis of the disease, identifying the genetic alterations underlying them. Subsequently, we defined what are, to date, the major and minor clinical diagnostic criteria, the possible genetic tests to be performed, and the pathologies with which to perform differential diagnosis. The radiological investigations were reviewed based on the most recent literature, and in the second part, we performed a review regarding the existing jawbone protocols, treating simple enucleation, enucleation with bone curettage in association or not with topical use of cytotoxic chemicals, and “en bloc” resection followed by possible bone reconstruction, marsupialization, decompression, and cryotherapy.

Conclusion

To promote the most efficient and accurate management of GGS, this article summarizes the clinical features of the disease, pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, and surgical protocols. To arrive at an early diagnosis of the syndrome, it would be advisable to perform radiographic and clinical examinations from the young age of the patient. The management of the patient with GGS requires a multidisciplinary approach ensuring an adequate quality of life and effective treatment of symptoms.

A comparison between anorganic bone and collagen-preserving bone xenografts for alveolar ridge preservation: systematic review and future perspectives

After tooth extraction, dimensional changes affect the alveolar socket, leading to loss in alveolar bone height and width. Histological modifications also occur, with initial formation of a blood clot that is replaced with granulation tissue and subsequently with a provisional connective tissue matrix. Spontaneous healing ends with socket filling with woven bone, which is gradually replaced with lamellar bone and bone marrow. Adequate alveolar ridge dimensions and bone quality are required to assure optimal stability and osseointegration following dental implant placement. When a tooth is extracted, alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) procedures are an effective method to prevent collapse of the post-extraction socket. Heterologous bone is widely chosen by clinicians for ARP, and anorganic bone xenografts (ABXs) made bioinert by heat treatment represents the most used biomaterial in clinical applications. Collagen-preserving bone xenografts (CBXs) made of porcine or equine bone are fabricated by less invasive chemical or enzymatic treatments to remove xenogenic antigens, and these are also effective in preserving post-extraction sites. Clinical differences between anorganic bone substitutes and collagen-preserving materials are not well documented in the literature but understanding these differences could clarify how processing protocols influence biomaterial behavior in situ. This systematic review of the literature compares the dimensional changes and histological features of ABXs versus CBXs in ridge preservation procedures to promote awareness of different bone xenograft efficacies in stimulating the healing of post-extraction sockets.

Computer-aided surgical workflow in a surgery - First orthognathic approach to correct anterior open bite in a young adult with temporomandibular disorders

An 18-year-old female patient with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) history sought medical care in orthodontic-orthognathic interdisciplinary department with chief complaint of anterior open bite. After splint therapy to seat the condylar into the musculo-skeletally stable position, a surgery-first approach was formulated assisted by 3D virtual planning and transferred to the surgery by computer-aided manufacturing splint. No TMD symptom reoccurrence was reported or noted. Stable occlusion and satisfactory facial aesthetics were achieved. In the 18-month follow-up, no clinically significant open bite relapse occurred. This case report describes the remarkable role that computer-assisted surgical simulation could play throughout the surgical-orthodontic procedure to correct the skeletal open bite deformity.

Patient First: Surgery First and More

INTRODUCTION

The success of surgery first approach has been defined by the number of advantages offered and is definitively determined by the satisfaction of the patients themselves. The strength of this protocol resides in its philosophy that puts the patient at the center of the whole diagnostic-therapeutic process. The compliance of the patient, its happiness and comfort are the best guarantee of a good final results. While pursuing this philosophy we have wondered whether there was way to increase the comfort of surgery first approach even more and to make it even more appealing for the patients. For these reasons, we have decided to work on a preliminary protocol in order to reduce or even eliminate the use of orthodontic braces and wires during perioperative stages. Materials and Methods: No orthodontic braces or wires are bonded on the teeth before surgery. Intraoperatory intermaxillary fixation (IMF) is carried out with the use of IMF screws which are positioned at the beginning of the operation on the edge between keratinized and nonkeratinized gingiva. Once the osteotomies are performed IMF with IMF screws is carried out on the planned occlusion with the use of surgical splints.Discussion and Conclusions: In selected cases the postsurgical orthodontic treatment can be carried out with the use of clear aligners, completely eliminating the need of braces and wires with an additional level of comfort.

Surgery-first approach reduces the overall treatment time without damaging long-term stability in the skeletal class III correction: a preliminary study

Background

Compared to the conventional approach, including preoperative orthodontic preparation, the so-called surgery-first approach (SFA) seems to reduce the overall treatment time in the correction of skeletal class III dentofacial deformity. However, there have been controversies about postoperative skeletal stability with SFA. Therefore, we investigated the long-term stability and the overall treatment time after maxillomandibular surgery for skeletal class III correction with or without preoperative orthodontic preparation.

Methods

This retrospective study included eight patients who underwent maxillomandibular surgery for class III correction with the SFA (SFA group) and 20 patients who underwent the conventional approach (CA group). A comparative study of the change in the maxillary and mandibular position on preoperative (T1), 1-day (T2), 6-month (T3), and 2-year (T4) postoperative lateral cephalograms. We calculated the overall treatment time for each group.

Results

At the presurgical stage (T1), there was no bias in the skeletal features between the two groups. In the surgical change from T1 to T2, the mandible (point B) of the CA group was significantly moved superiorly. Short-term changes from T2 to T3 revealed that the mandible moved forward in both groups, whereas the maxillary position showed no significant changes. Long-term changes from T3 to T4 demonstrated that none of the measured parameters showed any significant differences. Finally, the average of overall treatment time was 15.1 months in the SFA group and 26.0 months in the CA group.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that SFA in bimaxillary orthognathic surgery for skeletal class III correction leads to predictable long-term skeletal stability, similar to surgery with CA. Furthermore, SFA reduced the overall treatment time compared to CA.

An overview of surgery-first orthognathic approach: History, indications and limitations, protocols, and dentoskeletal stability

The most common orthognathic surgery approach consists of three steps: presurgical orthodontic treatment, surgery, and postsurgical orthodontic treatment. Despite its advantages, this technique has some disadvantages, too, including a long treatment period, problems in mastication and articulation, temporary worsening of the patient's appearance, and psychological problems for the patient. The introduction of the surgery-first orthognathic approach has been an attempt to overcome these problems. In this article, we wish to provide a comprehensive overview on this approach. In this approach, which consists of surgery without orthodontic preparation and a short period of orthodontic treatment after it, the overall duration of treatment decreases and the patient's appearance improves. The skeletal anchorage, placed at the time of surgery, can be used to facilitate tooth movements after surgery. Despite the advantages of this technique, it is associated with some limitations; in particular, occlusion cannot have a guiding role during surgery. Therefore, correct diagnosis, prediction of the outcomes, and simulating correction with the model setup are of crucial importance. The surgeon's knowledge and expertise have a significant role in this respect.

Surgical treatment of a skeletal Class III patient using customized brackets based on the CAD/CAM virtual orthodontic system

The computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) virtual orthodontic system produces customized brackets, indirect bonding jigs, and archwires based on a three-dimensional virtual setup. In surgical cases, this system helps to visualize the final occlusion during diagnosis and to efficiently plan individualized presurgical orthodontic treatments. A 20-year-old female patient with a skeletal Class III malocclusion, maxillary protrusion, and lip protrusion was successfully treated with orthognathic surgery and orthodontic treatment with maxillary first premolar extractions. The CAD/CAM system was applied for efficient treatment, with a total active treatment time of 16 months. In this case report, the applicability of the CAD/CAM virtual orthodontic system for orthognathic surgery cases is demonstrated. Suggestions are also made to overcome the limitations and to maximize the advantages of this system during orthodontic treatment of patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.

Case report on surgery-first approach

The Rationale:

The surgery-first approach provides immediate improvement in facial aesthetics in orthognathic cases with a shorter total treatment period.

Patient Concerns:

A 21-year-old male came with the chief complaint of protrusive lower front teeth and a large lower jaw. His main concern was aesthetics.

Diagnosis:

This was a case of skeletal Class III malocclusion with reverse overjet of 4 mm, overbite of 6 mm with a concave profile, and a protrusive chin.

Treatment:

The patient was treated by bilateral sagittal split setback osteotomy of the mandible with surgery first approach via nonextraction therapy.

Outcome:

After an active treatment of 15 months, improved facial profile, facial proportions, and a significant reduction of mandibular prognathism were much appreciated. The treatment results were stable after a 1-year follow-up of the treatment.

Take-away Lesson:

This case report highlights the utilization of nature's dental decompensation to achieve a desirable result, thereby attaining “more with less.”

Enhancing the Orthognathic Surgery Experience: Treatment in 10 Weeks "Surgery First" Approach

This case report describes the successful treatment of a 25-year-old male with maxillary retrognathism, skeletal and dental Class III malocclusion, anterior and posterior crossbite, negative overjet and overbite, mild mandibular crowding, and lower midline deviation. The nonextraction treatment plan included: (1) maxillary and mandibular arch fixed appliance and (2) Le Fort 1 maxillary osteotomy and postsurgical orthodontic treatment. The orthodontic treatment was initiated with 0.022" preadjusted brackets bonded to all the teeth except the maxillary second molars, 2 days before the surgery without any archwires. Two weeks after the surgery, maxillary and mandibular arch alignment along with the occlusal adjustments was started with the use of 0.018" NiTi wires, in both arches. Optimum esthetic and functional results were achieved in 10 weeks after the surgery, with the cooperation of two specialties and the use of surgery first approach.

"Monoblock" Occlusal Model to Enhance Occlusal Verification During Orthognathic Surgery

Intraoperative verification of the planned occlusion is critical in ensuring the accuracy of orthognathic surgery. This step is limited to visual inspection, which can be especially challenging when the planned occlusal setup is less-than-stable. The authors introduce a cost-effective method of an accurate reproduction of the planned occlusion using additive manufacturing which can aid in intraoperative verification of positionally unstable occlusal setups. The authors present a case example, and discuss various technical considerations.

Treatment of an adult skeletal class II patient with a modified surgery-first approach

This case report presents an 18-year-old female patient who had skeletal Class II relationship due to a mandibular retrognathia, decreased lower anterior facial height and proclined incisors with increased overjet and overbite. Her main complaints were protruding upper incisors and decreased distance between the tip of the nose and chin. A modified surgery-first approach was performed with two months of presurgical orthodontics to achieve 8mm mandibular advancement. The total treatment time was 11 months. Improved aesthetics, a balanced facial profile and a stable and functional occlusion were obtained in less treatment time due to accelerated tooth movement.

Current Orthognathic Practice in India: Do We Need to Change?

The last decade or so has seen paradigm shifts in the various aspects of orthognathic surgery. A lot of these changes are to do with digitalization of the orthodontic-surgical workflow, optimization of surgery-first protocols, virtual surgical planning-based 3D printing solutions and changing patient-health-care dynamics. The aim of this article is to provide evidence-based recommendations that are both practical and economically viable for the current orthognathic practice in India.