Segmental stability in orthognathic surgery: hydroxyapatite/Poly-l-lactide osteoconductive composite versus titanium miniplate osteosyntheses.

Hydroxyapatite was included into F-u-HA/PLLA (unsintered hydroxyapatite - Poly l-lactide) composite osteosynthesis material for its documented osteoconductive capacity. This study investigates segmental retention capacities and outcome stability using F-u-HA/PLLA composite osteosyntheses in orthognathic surgery. Of fifty patients in total, 25 patients were osteofixated with F-u-HA/PLLA osteoconductive bioabsorbable osteosyntheses and compared to a group of 25 patients treated with titanium miniplates. The F-u-HA/PLLA group included 14 maxillary advancements, 4 setbacks, 13 impactions, 5 elongations at A-point; the titanium group included 20 maxillary advancements, 2 setbacks, 11 impactions and 11 elongations. In the mandible the F-u-HA/PLLA group included 13 advancements at B-point, 11 setbacks, 16 clockwise rotations and 8 counterclockwise rotations at the Gonial angle (Ar-Go-Gn); the titanium group included 9 mandibular advancements, 5 setbacks, 8 clockwise rotations and 6 counterclockwise rotations at Ar-Go-Gn. Segmental stability and relapse were assessed comparing preoperative, postoperative and follow-up roentgen cephalometrics at 22 ± 11 months on average in F-u-HA/PLLA cases, 24 ± 22 months on average in the titanium group. All absolute operative movements were nonsignificant in the F-u-HA/PLLA cases compared to the titanium osteosynthesis cases. Relapses were nonsignificant but there was greater vertical relapse in maxillary impactions with titanium osteosyntheses. Throughout this study, F-u-HA/PLLA composite osteosyntheses appeared as stable as titanium miniplates. It can therefore be concluded, although from a limited number of patients, that the investigated osteoconductive osteosynthesis can be used in a similar way to titanium miniplates in orthognathic surgery. Compared to earlier studies using other bioabsorbable polymers in the literature, F-u-HA/PLLA proved to be more stable in segmental retention.