Evaluation of the surgical stability of 20 cases of inverted-L and C osteotomies.

Abstract

Twenty cases of inverted-L and C osteotomies were analyzed retrospectively to evaluate the stability of the surgical results. The incidence and degree of relapse are reported for each procedure. Possible compensatory mechanisms, which may be active in counteracting the skeletal relapse observed, are discussed. Several methods of compensating for the anticipated relapse are described. Since tabulation of the original data, 12 of the 20 patients have been followed up for an additional 6 to 12 months. Seven patients had been treated with the inverted-L osteotomy. In these patients, there was an additional 4% loss of the amount of correction in anterior facial height and 8% loss in posterior facial height. Five patients were in the C osteotomy group. An additional 3% of the initial advancement was lost in this interval. Significant occlusal changes were not observed in any of the cases and the skeletal results were still acceptable.