Fifty consecutive patients undergoing orthognathic surgery with internal fi
xation (IF) were studied retrospectively with a weighted Peer Assessment Ra
ting (PAR) Index to assess occlusal outcome at the end of all active treatm
ent, and compared with 50 patients who had undergone treatment for malocclu
sion by orthodontic means alone. In the surgically treated patients, the me
an percentage reduction in the weighted PAR Index was 83% and 31 out of 38
patients (82%) were 'greatly improved'. This implies a high standard of tre
atment in terms of the occlusal outcome. There was no difference in the pro
portion of patients having a final weighted PAR Index of less than 10 and n
o significant difference in the final weighted PAR Index between the two gr
oups. This suggests that the occlusal outcome is no different whether patie
nts undergo orthognathic surgery or orthodontic treatment alone, and that e
xcellent occlusal results can be achieved in patients undergoing orthognath
ic surgery,vith internal fixation.