Abstract
The biodegradable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) screw is a newly developed surgical material for use in fixing bone segments in sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) of the mandible for jaw deformity patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the stability of dento-facial morphology of mandibular prognathism patients after SSRO using PLLA screws. Six patients who underwent SSRO with PLLA screws (3 males and 3 females; the PLLA group), and six patients who underwent SSRO with conventional titanium screws (2 males and 4 females; the titanium group), were compared using frontal and lateral cephalograms taken before, as well as at 0, 6, and 12 months after, the surgery. The cephalometric changes, which were evaluated using standard scores, revealed no significant difference between the two groups at any postsurgical stages. No complications, such as allergy, inflammation, and pain, were reported in either the PLLA or the titanium group. These results suggested that the PLLA screw might be a useful surgical material that can be chosen for bone fixation in SSRO of jaw deformity patients.
