title: Long-term stability of surgical open-bite correction by Le Fort I osteotomy.
abstract: Skeletal changes greater than those observed in untreated adults have been noted beyond 1 year post-surgery in adult patients who had surgical correction of a long face deformity. The stability of skeletal landmarks and dental relationships from 1 to >3 years post-surgery was examined in 28 patients who had undergone surgery of the maxilla only, and in 26 patients who had undergone 2-jaw surgery to correct >2 mm anterior open bite. Although the average changes in almost all landmark positions and skeletal dimensions were less than 1 mm, point B moved down >2 mm and face height increased >2 mm in one-third of the maxilla-only group and in 40% of the 2-jaw group (>4 mm in 10% and 22% respectively). Overbite decreased 2-4 mm in only 7% of the maxilla-only and 12% of the 2 groups, with no changes >4 mm, because in three-fourths of the patients with an increase in anterior face height, further eruption of the incisors maintained the overbite relationship. In the maxilla-only group, mandibular length (Co-Pg) showed >2 mm long-term change in 45% of the patients, two-thirds of whom showed an increase rather than a decrease in length. In the 2-jaw group, no patients showed a decrease in Co-Pg length and one-third had an increase. For both groups, changes in overjet were smaller and less frequent than changes in mandibular length.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7450, USA. William_Proffit@dentistry.UNC.edu
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Proffit
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Turvey
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D002680:Chin / Q000601:surgery; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000601:surgery*; D019186:Mandibular Advancement / Q000379:methods; D019767:Maxillofacial Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort; D012008:Recurrence; D013577:Syndrome; D014078:Tooth Eruption; D016896:Treatment Outcome