SKELETAL STABILITY FOLLOWING MANDIBULAR ADVANCEMENT AND RIGID FIXATION WITH POLYLACTIDE BIODEGRADABLE SCREWS

Skeletal stability during the first year after mandibular advancement surgery and fixation using biodegradable selfreinforced poly-1-lactide (SR-PLLA) screws, without postoperative intermaxillary fixation, was studied in 25 patients by means of cephalometric measurements. The mag nitude of advancement was on average, 3.88 mm at pogonion (PG) (range 1.25-6.5 mm) and 4.57 mm at B-point (range 2.75-7.5 mm). After one yea r a mean relapse backwards of 0.59 mm at the PG (15%) and 0.78 mm at t he B-point (17%) was observed. Nineteen patients (76%) and 17 patients (68%) were stable at PG and B-point, respectively. SR-PLLA screws are considered to be comparable to other forms of rigid internal fixation for fixation of bilateral splitting osteotomies after mandibular adva ncement, as far as skeletal stability is concerned.