STABILITY OF THE OSTEOTOMY SITE FOLLOWING BILATERAL SAGITTAL SPLIT OSTEOTOMY - SCREW FIXATION V IMF

In a group of patients with mandibular deficiency with a low to normal mandibular plane angle (mean 20.7-degrees, range 10-28-degrees) and d eep bite, the position of the condylar segment relative to the mandibu lar body, following bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) for mand ibular advancement was assessed. Ten patients in whom intermaxillary f ixation (IMF) was used for a 5-week period were compared to 10 patient s where 2 mm diameter Wurzburg(TM) positional screws were used as inte rnal fixation. Six patients who were known bruxists and underwent BSSO were also reviewed. No clinically significant changes were seen in an y patient group and no significant differences were found in the relat ionship with time between the condylar and body segments, irrespective of the fixation method used.