Optimizing Orthognathic Surgery: Leveraging the Average Skull as a Dynamic Template for Surgical Simulation and Planning in 30 Patient Cases

Abstract

Virtual planning has revolutionized orthognathic surgery (OGS), marking a significant advancement in the field. This study aims to showcase the practical application of our established 3D average skull template as a guiding framework for surgical planning, and to share valuable insights from our clinical experience. We enrolled 30 consecutive Taiwanese patients (18 females and 12 males) who underwent two-jaw orthognathic surgery with surgical simulation, utilizing the average skull template for planning. Results indicate the method’s applicability and precision. By adhering to the surgical plan, post-operative outcomes closely aligned with the average skull template, showing negligible deviations of less than 2 mm. Moreover, patients expressed high satisfaction with post-surgery facial changes, with the chin appearance receiving the highest satisfaction scores, while the lowest scores were attributed to nose appearance. Notably, the substantial change in lower jaw position post-mandibular setback surgery contributed to increased satisfaction with the chin position. In conclusion, this study does not seek to replace established surgical planning methods, but underscores that utilizing an average skull as a surgical design template provides a viable, accurate, and efficient option for OGS patients.