Stability of Le Fort I maxillary inferior repositioning surgery with rigid internal fixation: a systematic review

The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of Le Fort I maxillary inferior repositioning surgery in patients with a vertical maxillary deficiency at least 6 months after surgery. The electronic databases were searched to identify all articles reporting the long-term effects of one-piece maxillary inferior repositioning with rigid fixation. Methodological quality was evaluated according to 15 criteria related to study design, measurements, and statistical analysis. Two articles were identified, with a total of 22 patients. The maxilla was repositioned inferiorly from a mean 3.2 to 4.5 mm in the anterior part and from a mean 0.1 to 1.8 mm in the posterior part. At 6 months post-treatment, absolute relapse of a mean 1.6 mm was measured for the anterior part of the maxilla and 0.3 mm for the posterior part of the maxilla. The stability of maxillary inferior repositioning surgery could not be confirmed due to the small sample size, unclear diagnosis, and potential confounding factors.