title: Soft tissue changes after orthodontic surgical correction of jaws asymmetry evaluated by three-dimensional surface laser scanner.
abstract: Aesthetic improvement is an essential goal of treatment of facial asymmetry, and it is often difficult to achieve. Reliable three-dimensional measurements are required to support outcome studies. In this study, 15 white adult subjects, 9 females and 6 males, with maxillomandibular asymmetry and malocclusion were studied. The patients were treated with orthodontics and different surgical procedures in single or multiple steps. All patients received double-jaw surgery, except 1 patient who underwent only maxillary osteotomy. Nine of the 15 patients received additional procedures (genioplasty and rhinoplasty) to achieve better symmetry. Posterior-anterior and lateral cephalometry and three-dimensional facial surface data were obtained before (T0) and 1 year (T1) after surgery. Scan data at T0 and T1 were pooled by electronic surface averaging to obtain the mean pretreatment and posttreatment facial model. A symmetric model was constructed by averaging the actual T0 scans and their mirrored models to obtain the virtual optimal symmetric face. Different linear and angular measurements were then calculated for comparison of the mean T0 and T1 models. The normalization of facial proportion and a high increase in symmetry were evident. Residual defects were documented in the postoperative symmetry of the chin. Treatment of facial asymmetry, combined with dental occlusion problems, is still a challenge for maxillofacial surgeons. Orthognathic surgery provides an important improvement of symmetry, but further refinements of technique are still required. Three-dimensional evaluation results in an effective method to support outcome studies on the surgical correction of complex facial deformities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Pharmacology and Legal Medicine, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. laura.verze@unito.it
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Verzé
authors.forename: Francesca Antonella
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schellino
authors.forename: Guglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramieri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D004954:Esthetics; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D063172:Genioplasty / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000601:surgery*; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome