Two Decades of 3D Imaging in Orthognathic Surgery

The success of orthognathic surgery depends on a team approach. Close collaboration, accurate planning and modeling are especially important factors for success. This lecture will begin with the traditional approach of surgical planning methods utilizing 2-dimensional (2D) cephalometric analysis as well as photographs, dental casts, and model surgeries. It will transition into the recent advancements in technology particularly 3D printing, 3D CBCT imaging and virtual surgical planning (VSP) have improved precision and efficiency of orthognathic surgery. Through 3D CBCT, CAD/CAM, and VSP, clinicians are now able to collaborate, pre-plan osteotomies, and produce cutting guides and splints all in a single web-based workflow. The lecture will discuss the various studies that support time savings during pre-operative planning and the operative procedure, as well as, decreased hospitalization times. Additionally, patients benefit by increasing informed consent. As modern medicine continues to embrace patient-centered treatment, technological advances such as these creates the potential for these techniques to become the standard in orthognathic surgery.