Cephalometric evaluation of soft tissue profile changes following mandibular setback in Egyptian adults

Abstract

A prediction of postsurgical changes in the shape and position of the overlying soft tissue is an important part of orthognathic treatment planning. However, literature in soft tissue changes after mandibular setback in Egyptian adults is rare.The aim of this study was to cephalometrically evaluate the soft tissue profile changes after a mandibular setback procedure in Egyptian adult patients.This study included sixteen Egyptian adult patients, 8 males and 8 females, with mandibular prognathism who were subjected to mandibular setback surgery by bilateral sagital split ramus osteotomy (SSRO). The patients were subdivided according to sex in order to detect potential differences in the soft tissue response. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken presurgically, 6 months postsurgically to evaluate the changes from presurgery to postsurgery. The soft tissue profile changes after surgical setback of the mandible can be described as follows: Posterior movement of the mandibular incisor, point B, and pogonion was accompanied by posterior movement of 71% (male) and 82% (female) at labiale inferius; 88% (male) and 92% (female) at mentolabial sulcus; and 93% (male) and 103% (female) at soft tissue pogonion.After surgical setback of mandible, the ratios of soft to hard tissue changes are somewhat different between male and female, especially at labrale inferioris (Li) and soft tissue pogonion (PoG). The ratios of Li:li and PoG:Pog for male were smaller than for female. This suggests that the clinician should pay more attention to the depth of labiomental sulcus and new position of soft tissue pogonion when making surgical predictions for Egyptian adults with mandibular prognathism