title: The role of the occlusal wafer in orthognathic surgery; a comparison of thick and thin intermediate osteotomy wafers.
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare two types of osteotomy wafers, derived from model surgery on a semi-adjustable anatomical articulator. The thick wafer was fabricated before autorotation of the mandibular cast and the thin after the autorotation. Twenty-five patients, 19 female and 6 male, who had osteotomies with a maxillary impaction as part of a bimaxillary correction were included in this study. Thick and thin wafers were fabricated and the surgeons were requested to compare both wafers, intra-operatively. Valid results were received for 19 cases, in 14 (74%) the surgeons concluded that both wafers located the maxilla in the same position. In 5 cases (26%) there was up to 2 mm difference in the maxillary position. These were cases when the impaction was > 6 mm, however, chi 2 and Fisher's exact test showed that the difference in impaction between the two groups was not significant (p = 0.06).
authors.affiliation: Joint Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Eastman Dental and University College London Hospitals, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bamber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D016302:Centric Relation; D003725:Dental Articulators; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000601:surgery*; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery; D003765:Models, Dental; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012399:Rotation; D013499:Surface Properties