Evaluation of soft tissue prediction accuracy for orthognathic surgery with skeletal class III malocclusion using maxillofacial regional aesthetic units.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the soft tissue prediction accuracy of patients undergoing orthognathic surgery to correct skeletal class III malocclusion using maxillofacial regional aesthetic units. Pre- and postoperative cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and 3D facial scans were taken for 58 patients who had undergone orthognathic surgery. The preoperative 3D facial scan was integrated with the preoperative CBCT using ProPlan CMF software. The software simulated the surgery and generated postoperative soft tissue prediction. The simulated 3D facial scan was then compared with the actual 3D facial scan obtained at least 6months after the surgery by the maxillofacial regional aesthetic units and the facial soft tissue landmark points. The anatomical regions of the upper lip, lower lip, chin, right external buccal and left external buccal prediction were above 2.0mm. As for the soft tissue landmarks, at chl, chr, ls, stm and li, the position of predicted scan was higher than that of the actual postoperative scan. The accuracy of 3D soft tissue predictions using ProPlan CMF software in Skeletal III patients was clinically satisfactory according to maxillofacial regional aesthetic units combined with facial soft tissue landmark points. However, the accuracy of prediction still needed improvement in some areas. The accuracy of soft tissue prediction can be analyzed more clearly through maxillofacial regional aesthetic units so that clinicians have a deeper understanding of the use of the software to predict soft tissue change after orthognathic surgery.