Occlusal outcome in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery with internalfixation

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.