Abstract
T he most widely accepted and frequently used technique for ~&cd correction of mandibular prognathism is the performance of bilateral vertical osteotomies of the mandibular rami. Caldwell and Letterman1 advocated starting the bony incision at the lowest point of the sigmoid notches inferiorly, passing over the lateral aspects of the mandibular foramina, and ending at the inferior border of the mandible. They decorticated the lateral aspect of the distal fragments and drilled holes t,hrough both cortices of the proximal fragments, a,fter which they lapped the proximal over the distal fragments and wired the segments together securely. Robinson, 2a 3 Hinds4 and Thomas5 describe similar procedures in which the bony cuts are made from the sigmoid notches down to hhe gonial angles and the fragments are overlapped without decortication. Osseous healing occurs with either method, but there is no evidence in the literature to demonstrate which leads to quicker healing. The opinions of oral surgeons regarding healing are derived from clinical experience. For this reason, it seemed desirable to make a direct comparison of the healing of mandibles approximated in the two ways described above.
Published Version
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