Orthodontic and surgical perspectives in management of a severe skeletal open bite

Abstract

In orthognathic correction of skeletal discrepancy, different treatment options should be considered to give optimum results to the patient with minimal postoperative problems caused by extensive bi-jaw surgery. In a case of severe vertical dysplasia with a large open bite, the orthodontist with the help of advanced diagnostic tools such as imaging software had planned bi-jaw surgery. However, there was a difference in opinion with the oral surgeon who considered only single jaw surgery to get adequate results. The possibility of only maxillary Le Fort I surgery creating autorotation of the mandible was considered, as 0.5° of autorotation results with 1° of maxillary posterior segment clockwise rotation thus avoiding bi-jaw surgery. After performing the Le Fort I superior repositioning of maxilla, the mandibular autorotation was not adequate, so a mandibular bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) for mandibular advancement had to be performed to achieve favourable results. Copyright 2014 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.