title: Condylar positioning devices for orthognathic surgery: a literature review.
abstract: In the past few years, many devices have been proposed for preserving the preoperative position of the mandibular condyle during bilateral sagittal split osteotomy. Accurate mandibular condyle repositioning is considered important to obtain a stable skeletal and occlusal result, and to prevent the onset of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Condylar positioning devices (CPDs) have led to longer operating times, the need to keep intermaxillary fixation as stable as possible during their application, and the need for precision in the construction of the splint or intraoperative wax bite. This study reviews the literature concerning the use of CPDs in orthognathic surgery since 1990 and their application to prevent skeletal instability and contain TMD since 1995. From the studies reviewed, we can conclude that there is no scientific evidence to support the routine use of CPDs in orthognathic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of maxillofacial surgery, University of Udine, Udine, Italy. maxil2@med.uniud.it
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robiony
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sembronio
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Polini
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Politi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000601:surgery*; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000473:pathology*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation*