Simultaneous correction of maxillary and mandibular dentofacial deformities without the use of postoperative intermaxillary fixation. A clinical and cephalometric study.

Simultaneous correction of maxillary and mandibular anomalies was performed in 23 patients. The maxillary segment was stabilized by means of steel wires as horizontal mattress sutures, which, in all cases, gave good stability. A modified sagittal split has been applied in all cases. The method makes a safe split osteotomy possible under controlled conditions. The design of the osteotomy and the screw osteosynthesis counteract relapse. Postoperatively, no rigid intermaxillary fixation (IMF) was used. Masticatory function was started from the 1st postoperative day and in most cases was normalized 2-3 weeks after surgery according to the patients own judgement. Cephalometric analysis was performed on 15 patients by a superimposition technique. There was an overall good postoperative stability of the maxilla and mandible in the horizontal and vertical planes. We conclude that omitting IMF has no negative effect on the postoperative stability of the fragments.