Stability of clockwise rotation of the maxillary occlusal plane in skeletal Class III patients treated with two-jaw surgery

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the post-surgical stability of clockwise rotation of the maxillary occlusal plane (MXOP) after Le Fort I osteotomy for posterior impaction and advancement, in skeletal Class III patients who had undergone two-jaw orthognathic surgery (2J-OGS). Materials and Methods: The sample set consisted of 46 patients (18 males and 28 females). Using lateral cephalograms taken at the initial evaluation (T0), before 2J-OGS (T1), after 2J-OGS (T2) and at debonding (T3), the amount of MXOP change (criterion: 2° in ΔMXOP [between T2 and T3]) was used to assign patients to Group 1 (G1, high relapse, −3.09°) or Group 2 (G2, low relapse, −0.99°). Findings were statistically compared between the groups. Results: Compared with G2, G1 exhibited more severe skeletal Class III relationships and a flatter MXOP at T0, a greater increase in ΔANB, and more clockwise rotation of ΔMXOP and ΔFMA between T1 and T2. G1 also showed a greater decrease in ΔANB, higher counterclockwise rotation of ΔMXOP and upward movement of U1 between T2 and T3. Regression analysis yielded the following equation: MXOP (ΔT2-T3) = −0.37 X MXOP (ΔT1-T2) −0.43. Conclusions: The higher the clockwise rotation of the MXOP during 2J-OGS in skeletal Class III patients, the greater the subsequent relapse (counterclockwise rotation) of the MXOP.