Tantalum implants as markers for evaluating postoperative orthognathic surgical changes.

The stability of sagittal split osteotomy advancements is not always 100% predictable. Assessment of postsurgical changes has historically relied on clinical evaluation of dental changes and superimposition of serial cephalograms, both of which have been shown to have serious drawbacks. A technique that improves the analysis of postsurgical changes is described in this paper; tantalum pin implants are placed in the osteotomized segments of patients undergoing surgical advancements. Implants eliminate many of the problems (orthodontic, growth, and remodeling changes) related to superimposition of presurgical and postsurgical cephalograms. Using this technique, surgical changes can be precisely analyzed, and the contribution of each factor of postsurgical relapse can be determined. This information, concerning the magnitude and direction of postsurgical changes, aids in following an individual's progress and increases the accuracy of large group studies by eliminating sources of variability in radiographic and clinical interpretation.