Miroslav Vukadinović, Boban Aničić, Zoran Jezdić, Nikola Miković, Vladimir Sinobad

FACULTY OF STOMATOLOGY, CLINIC OF MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY, BELGRADE, SERBIA, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

The aim of this study was to establish and estimate the effects of surgical correction of mandibular prognathism on the height and position of the upper lip. The changes of the upper lip were analysed on 115 patients between 16 and 30 year of age (71 females and 44 males) who were subject to surgical correction of mandibular prognathism using the sagittal split ramus osteotomy. The lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken of each patient before and six months after the surgical procedure. The soft tissue cephalometric analysis included the measurements of six linear and two angular parameters. The obtained data were statisticaly processed and evaluated. Statistical analysis revealed the significant changes in two linear cephalometric parameters after surgical procedure–the incisal step and the length of the upper lip. The changes in the length and position of the upper lip after surgical correction of mandibular prognathism by means of sagittal split ramus osteotomy seem to be minor and clinicaly insignificant. Only the length of the upper lip was significantly changed. It became longer. The upper lip advancement amounted aproximately 15% of the complete mandibular set-back during operation.

Key words: mandibular prognathism, sagittal split ramus osteotomy, cephalometrics, upper lip