Geographical distribution, preoperative orthodontics, and morbidity of Norwegian patients surgically treated for mandibular prognathism.

The geographical distribution of 1169 Norwegian patients operated on for mandibular prognathism during the years 1975-1984 showed an accumulation of cases in the western and northern parts of the country. This skew distribution was probably due to genetic factors. No association was found between the number of operated patients and the number of orthodontists or oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the different counties. Most of the patients (69%) had less than 2 years and 10% had more than 4 years of preoperative orthodontic treatment. The use of presurgical orthodontics seemed to increase during the observation period, and the mean treatment time was shorter in the last half of the decade. The morbidity, defined as the duration of the hospital stay and the intermaxillary fixation period, was on an average 56 days, mostly dependent on the surgical unit.