JOURNAL OF OSAKA DENTAL UNIVERSITY

Vol. 41 No. 2      OCTOBER - 2007

ISSN: 0475-2058      UBIC: 172

SUMMARY

I investigated changes in the surface área of facial soft tissue after orthognathic surgery using a non-contact type three-dimensional scanner. The faces of five patients with mandibular protrusion were morphologically analyzed before surgery, during hospitalization, and at each visit after discharge using a non-contact type three-dimensional scanner. To ascertain the relationship between the postoperative day and changes in facial surface area, coordinate data before and after surgery were fit by the least square method using numerical analysis software. In all patients, the surface area was greatest at either two or three days after surgery, and it markedly decreased within ten days of surgery. When swelling was at its peak, the facial surface area was approximately 1.4 times greater than the preoperative values. Changes were observed up to approximately 120 days after surgery. Chronological data were plotted to visualize postoperative changes in facial surface area. The results showed that when assessing changes, it is necessary to differentiate changes caused by swelling from those caused by other factors, such as decreases in soft tissue caused by body weight loss during intermaxillary fixation and increases in soft tissue from body weight gain after intermaxillary fixation. (J Osaka Dent Univ 2007 ; 41 : 121-124) Key words: Swelling; Surgery; Oral; Imaging; Three-Dimensional; Diagnosis.

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