Biomechanical Stress Distribution of the Mandibular Condyle in Orthognathic Surgery with Occlusal Plane Counterclockwise Rotation-A Case Report

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the changes in stress distribution at the condylar level after maxillomandibular surgery with counterclockwise rotation in a case report. Materials and Methods: A real model of a class III malocclusion patient was obtained and corrected by bimaxillary surgery with counterclockwise rotation. Finite element analysis was performed with the properties of trabecular and cortical bone, articular disc, and teeth assumed and modeled under a continuous homogeneous anisotropic approach. The T-Students test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were performed. Results: The condylar topography showed changes in the distribution of mechanical stress uniformly in the three-dimensional model's post-surgical simulation. The reductions of the various stress areas did not show statistical significance. Conclusion: In our case, bimaxillary orthognathic surgery with a change in the occlusal plane in a counterclockwise rotation did not represent a risk in altering the condylar morphology. Biomechanical stress distribution can be adequately distributed with passive accentuation of the condyle in the mandibular fossa during the procedure in class III patients with an anterior open bite. However the article involves only one case. Therefore, larger studies are recommended and these results should be interpreted with caution.