MARGINAL BONE LEVEL AFTER LE-FORT-I OSTEOTOMY

The object of the study was to assess the effect of Le Fort I osteotom y and maxillary interdental osteotomy on the marginal bone level, Fort y patients (25 female, 15 male, mean age 24 years, range 15-46) treate d for dentofacial deformities comprised the subjects of the study and underwent Le Fort I osteotomy with or without simultaneous interdental osteotomy. Outcome was measured by marginal bone level measured in ra diographs before and 1 year after operation. All patients had good ora l hygiene, There was an overall significant mean marginal bone loss of 0.2 mm at surfaces without interdental osteotomy (P=0.001). When the bone loss of the different types of teeth was considered separately, o nly those of central incisors (0.5 mm, P=0.0001) and canines (0.4 mm, P=0.004) were significant, Interdental osteotomy caused an overall mea n marginal bone loss of 0.4 mm, but this was not significantly differe nt from that of teeth without interdental osteotomy (P=0.07), When the bone loss of different types of teeth after interdental osteotomy was considered separately, the only difference that achieved significance was that of premolars (0.3 mm, P=0.04). Though there were significant differences, none of them was large enough to have any clinical relev ance, Le Fort I osteotomy and interdental osteotomy may only in a few instances cause marginal bone loss of clinical relevance, However, the present study was performed on patients with good oral hygiene, The a bove conclusions may therefore not be valid for patients who, prior to surgery, already have a compromised marginal bone level.