Three-Dimensional Facial Simulation in Bilateral Sagittal Split Osteotomy: A Validation Study of 100 Patients

PurposeThree-dimensional (3D) virtual planning of orthognathic surgery in combination with 3D soft tissue simulation allows the surgeon and the patient to assess the 3D soft tissue simulation. This study was conducted to validate the predictability of the mass tensor model soft tissue simulation algorithm combined with cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging for patients who underwent mandibular advancement using a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO).Materials and MethodsOne hundred patients were treated with a BSSO according to the Hunsuck modification. The pre- and postoperative CBCT scans were matched and the mandible was segmented and aligned. The 3D distance maps and 3D cephalometric analyses were used to calculate the differences between the soft tissue simulation and the actual postoperative results. Other study variables were age, gender, and amount of mandibular advancement or rotation.ResultsFor the entire face, the mean absolute error was 0.9 ± 0.3 mm, the mean absolute 90th percentile was 1.9 mm, and for all 100 patients the absolute mean error was less than or equal to 2 mm. The subarea with the least accuracy was the lower lip area, with a mean absolute error of 1.2 ± 0.5 mm. No correlation could be found between the error of prediction and the amount of advancement or rotation of the mandible or age or gender of the patient.ConclusionOverall, the soft tissue prediction algorithm combined with CBCT imaging is an accurate model for predicting soft tissue changes after mandibular advancement. Future studies will focus on validating the mass tensor model soft tissue algorithm for bimaxillary surgery.