A New Approach to Virtual Occlusion in Orthognathic Surgery Planning Using Mixed Reality—A Technical Note and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Orthognathic surgery plays a vital role in correcting various skeletal discrepancies of the maxillofacial region. Achieving optimal occlusion is a fundamental aspect of orthognathic surgery planning, as it directly influences postoperative outcomes and patient satisfaction. Traditional methods for setting final occlusion involve the use of dental casts which are time-consuming, prone to errors and cannot be easily shared among collaborating specialties. In recent years, advancements in digital technology have introduced innovative approaches, such as virtual occlusion, which may offer enhanced accuracy and efficiency in orthognathic surgery planning. Furthermore, the emergence of mixed reality devices and their 3D visualization capabilities have brought about novel benefits in the medical field, particularly in computer-assisted planning. This paper presents for the first time a prototype tool for setting virtual occlusion during orthognathic surgery planning using mixed reality technology. A complete walkthrough of the workflow is presented including an explanation of the implicit advantages of this novel tool. The new approach to defining virtual occlusion is set into context with other published methods of virtual occlusion setting, discussing advantages and limitations as well as concepts of surgical occlusion for orthognathic surgery.

Discrepancies in Cephalometric Analysis Results between Orthodontists and Radiologists and Artificial Intelligence: A Systematic Review

“…At the same time the distinction between the hard structures and the soft structures in their proximity is important to establish this position correctly. One potential solution to this issue could involve enhancing clinician training in selecting the most precise anatomical point positions and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for the development of automatic measurement protocols to achieve more reliable and accurate anatomical reference points [1,2,12,13,[19][20][21][22][23][24]. The review on the usage of AI-driven and improved cephalometric analysis prevented herein is very important for the future of dentistry and orthodontics.…”

“…(21) labial inferius (LI),(22) soft tissue pogonion (Pog'). (A) SN plane, (B) Frankfort plane (Po-Or), (C) maxillary plane (ANS-PNS), (D) bisecting occlusal plane (BOP), (E) mandibular plane (Go-Gn), (F) mandibular plane (Go-Me), (G) mandibular plane (tangent to lower border of mandible) Differences between the tracing methods were clinically insignificant except for the U1-A point measurement-the app incorrectly calculated the distance from the A line to the incisal edge of the upper central incisor rather than the facial surface of the upper incisor…”