The Stability of Maxillary Osteotomies Fixated With Biodegradable Mesh in Orthognathic Surgery

Sittitavornwong, Somsak; Waite, Peter D.; Dann, John J.; Kohn, Markell W.

doi:10.1016/j.joms.2006.06.278

« Previous Next »Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Volume 64, Issue 11 , Pages 1631-1634, November 2006

The Stability of Maxillary Osteotomies Fixated With Biodegradable Mesh in Orthognathic Surgery

Somsak Sittitavornwong, DDS, MS
- Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Sittitavornwong: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 456 School of Dentistry Bldg, 1919 7th Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0007
Peter D. Waite, MPH, DDS, MD
- Professor and Chairman, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
John J. Dann, DMD, MD
- Chairman, Department of Dentistry and Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery, John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek, CA; Clinical Assistant Professor Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA; and Adjunct Assistant Professor Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, Stockton, CA.
Markell W. Kohn, DDS
- Associate Clinical Professor, the University of California, San Diego, CA; Clinical Professor, University of Southern California; and Chief of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Children’s Hospital in San Diego, San Diego, CA.

Purpose

This study measures the stability of maxillary osteotomies fixated with 1-mm biodegradable mesh and screws.

Materials and Methods

This prospective study involved 27 patients who underwent maxillary osteotomies. All cases had fixation with biodegradable mesh and screws (70% l-lactide and 30% D,l-lactide polymers). Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken preoperatively within 2 months (T1), immediately postsurgically within 1 week (T2), postsurgically between 6 and 12 weeks (T3), and long-term postoperatively between 6 months and 1 year (T4). All cephalometric radiographs were digitized with Dolphin Imaging (Dolphin software version 9.0.0018, Chatsworth, CA). Vertical and horizontal measurements were made to several skeletal landmarks including Sella (S), A point (APT), posterior nasal spine (PNS), and upper incisor (UPI).

Results

Twenty patients were completed. Seven patients were not included because lateral cephalometric radiographs were not obtained in the specific time period. It appears that the postsurgical vertical change was not statistically significant, but the horizontal change was significant (P < .01). Relapse was significant in the horizontal dimension.

Conclusion

There was more relapse in the anteroposterior (horizontal) direction than the superoinferior (vertical) direction in biodegradable mesh and screws. Biodegradable fixation was more stable in vertical surgical change than horizontal surgical change.