Changes in the position of cranio-cervical complex skeletal structures after an orthognatic surgery event

Resumen

The aim of the present study was to conduct research on presence of changes in skeletal structures’ position of the cervical-cranial complex after treatment involving orthognatic surgery. 30 patient files were reviewed. Patients were affl icted with initial class I, II and III malocclusions which had been treated with orthognathic surgery. With the help of lateral skull X-rays, measurements were taken of pre- and post-surgical positions of vertebrae, hyoid bone, as well as skull rotation. It was found that patients subjected to combined surgery presented greater range of skull rotation changes in a posterior direction (p = 0.006). Female patients presented tendency to posterior skull rotation, and exhibited distance decrease from atlas to skull base (p = 0.23). In surgical patients, it is important to timely identify these skull rotation changes since they might elicit relapse of performed orthognathic surgery and/or occipital headache.