3D virtual planning for orthognathic surgery
Modern 3D virtual planning for orthognathic surgery has critical advantages compared to conventional treatment planning. In the traditional method, a precise diagnosis of the dentoskeletal deformity and an intra-operatively reproducible plan need data from many sources — photographs, cephalograms, dental casts, a physical examination with a face-bow record transferred to semi-adjustable articulators, and measurement of plaster cast movement according to the surgical simulation.
Simulating the operation on plaster dental casts is difficult, especially in complicated two-jaw surgery: it requires many laboratory steps that are time-consuming and may lead to errors. 3D imaging gives surgeons information a lateral cephalogram alone cannot, improving the quality of pre-operative planning.
Why 3D printing
3D printing replicates the actual patient more closely, gives access to more and higher-quality information about the patient’s 3D anatomy and helps identify conditions that conventional 2D imaging cannot detect — improving the accuracy and reliability of diagnosis and treatment.
Unlike conventional model surgery on dental casts, it allows multiple virtual simulations of different osteotomies and skeletal movements, so several surgical plans can be evaluated.
- Splints printed with 3D polyjet technology at CTARS
- Multiple osteotomy plans compared virtually before surgery
- India’s first and only 3D design and print unit for orthognathic VSP and splint fabrication
