Complications in orthognathic surgery: A comprehensive review

This is a comprehensive literature review with the objective of deepening knowledge about complications related to orthognathic surgery. This search used the Virtual Health Library (Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde – BVS), PUBMED, EMBASE, Sciverse SCOPUS, and OVID portals, as well as the COCHRANE and CINHAL databases, and the following search terms: ((Intraoperative Complications) OR (Postoperative Complications)) AND Orthognathic Surgical Procedures. A total of 819 articles published between 1980 and 2010 were found, out of which 23 publications addressed the topic of this study. The methodological designs of the articles included prevalence studies, clinical trials, systematic reviews, case–control studies, and cohort studies. Commonly found complications included nerve damage (12.1%), infection (3.4%), problems with fixative materials (2.5%), temporomandibular joint disorder (2.1%), undue fracture (1.8%), scarring problems (1.7%), and hemorrhage (1.4%). Given the many possible complications, a mastery of orthognathic surgical treatment, as well as interactions among members of the multidisciplinary team, is important in offering safe care to the patient.