Maintenance of the preoperative condyle position in orthognathic surgery.

A bimaxillary osteotomy for mandibular prognathism and maxillary retrognathia was performed on 30 patients with an Angle Class III malocclusion. The Luhr condylar positioning device was used intraoperatively to reproduce the condylar position. Pre- and postoperative condylar positions were compared by recording joint movements with axiography. Steps, jags and jumps as symptoms of pathological joint function could not be identified. Only in one case could a pathological shortening of the joint track length be measured. This suggests that the Luhr device is effective in securing condyle position and therefore temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function. Pre- and postoperative axiography is an adequate method of controlling these results and a helpful supplement to the armentarium of orthognathic surgery.