The present investigation was undertaken to compare changes of the soft tissue frontal view between the bilateral sagittal osteotomies of the rami and the unilateral sagittal osteotomy of the ramus combined with body ostectomy by using the frontal face asymmetric correction index in 26 patients with mandibular protrusion assosiated with lateral deviation.
The following results were obtained:
1. Although the frontal view was improved in both osteotomies, the extent of improvement after correction of unilateral sagittal ramus osteotomy with body ostectomy was superior to that of bilateral sagittal ramus osteotomy in all measurements.
2. As compared to bilateral sagittal ramus osteotomies, unilateral sagittal ramus osteotomy combined with body ostectomy showed significant improvement in upper lip inclination, asymmetric correction indices of the area of the chin, the distance from the submandibular line, and the mandible angle.
The results suggest that the combination of unilateral sagittal ramus osteotomy and body ostectomy is a better surgical procedure for the treatment of asymmetric face patients.
