ABSTRACT
Traditionally, in planning for orthognathic surgery, doctors depended on clinical examination which may not have always portrayed the true facial deformity of the patient. The ability to obtain three-dimensional reconstructed data from computerized tomography of the facial skeleton and merge it with the occlusal anatomy of the teeth from dental casts has created a new paradigm shift in the way doctors' plan for orthognathic surgery. This computer-assisted surgical simulation is useful in improving the determination of the midline, the maxillary cant and the inclination of the occlusal plane. It is particularly relevant in recognizing and correcting yaw deformities which would not have been otherwise recognized clinically. Maxillary and zygomatic horizontal deficiencies in patients that have normal nasal projection. The principal movement is advancement with midline split when necessary. Plate bending should be accurate; minor imperfections lead to malocclusion.
