Rigid fixation of facial osteotomies.

Rigid fixation of facial osteotomies has had a significant effect on reducing morbidity in these patients. Any osteotomy in a patient with erupted permanent dentition previously fixed with wires and intermaxillary fixation can now be managed by metal plates and screws, eliminating or decreasing the need for the jaws to be held together. The problems of palpable plates and screws and malposition of jaws have been eliminated by precise techniques. The cost of plates and screws and the increased time needed for their application have been offset by decreased hospitalization time and fewer complications. A new microsystem with screws 0.8 mm in diameter and plates 0.5 mm in thickness has further expanded the fields for application, particularly in children and infants.