Predicting the Future Focus of Orthognathic Surgery: Outcome-Driven Planning and Treatment With Function, Esthetics, and Occlusion as Key Indicators.

As an international group of orthognathic surgeons, we believe the next big thing in orthognathic surgery will be a clinical and research focus on patient-oriented outcomes and improved quality of life. We expect to see advances in diagnosis and treatment planning, materials development, and patient management.

What Is the Linear Accuracy of Regional Voxel-Based Registration for Orthognathic Surgery Landmarks?

PURPOSE: While regional voxel-based registration (R-VBR) has been shown to have excellent reproducibility and angular accuracy, there are limited data on the linear accuracy of R-VBR for common orthognathic surgery landmarks, or on whether angular accuracy correlates with linear accuracy. The purpose of this study was to estimate the linear accuracy of R-VBR for several skeletal landmarks commonly used in orthognathic surgical planning, and to measure the correlation between angular and linear discrepancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of consecutive patients treated at a single center with nonsegmental LeFort I and bilateral sagittal split osteotomy surgery from January 2019 to November 2020. Cone beam computed tomography at the preoperative (T0) and immediate postoperative (T1) stages were analyzed to measure the postoperative positional changes of 11 orthognathic landmarks in 4 regions of interest (ROI) using R-VBR performed twice by two examiners. Pairwise correlation analysis and canonical correlation analysis were performed for the angular discrepancies (primary predictor variable) and the linear discrepancies (primary outcome variable) to measure the correlation between the two. RESULTS: In cone beam computed tomography analysis of 28 eligible subjects (16 males, 12 females; mean age 18.9 years, range 15 to 25), the mean absolute (MA) angular discrepancies ranged from 0.15° to 0.55°, while the corresponding MA linear discrepancies ranged from 0.05 to 0.41 mm. There was a strong correlation between angular and linear discrepancies that was statistically significant (P = .001 to .04, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient 0.38 to 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: For nonsegmental LeFort I osteotomies and bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, R-VBR has excellent linear accuracy within a single voxel size (0.3 mm) for commonly used orthognathic landmarks in the maxillary and distal mandibular ROI. The MA linear discrepancy for the proximal mandibular segment ROI was greater than a single voxel size, with a maximum of 0.41 mm.

Do We Need Safety Nets for Outsourced Computer-Aided Orthognathic Planning? A Two-Center Analysis.

PURPOSE: While the accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and time-efficiency of computer-aided orthognathic surgical planning (CAOP) have been studied, little is known about the influence of logistical factors of outsourced CAOP (OS-CAOP) on patient care. The purpose of this study was to investigate the limitations of OS-CAOP and their effect on treatment planning workflow and surgical outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was designed involving subjects who had undergone orthognathic surgery using CAOP from 2 academic oral and maxillofacial surgery centers in South Korea (Kyungpook National University, KNU) and the United States (University of Illinois Chicago, UIC) over an 8-year period. The primary predictor variable was use of modifications or alternatives to OS-CAOP. The primary outcome variable was the frequency of planning changes due to reasons that may have affected outcomes. Covariates included age and sex. Descriptive statistics was used, in addition to a chi-square test to analyze differences among categorical variables. RESULTS: Of a total of 642 eligible subjects in both centers, 5.8% used alternatives to OS-CAOP. 78.4% of these were due to reasons that may have affected outcomes (P < .001), representing 4.5% of all cases. The frequency of the need for OS-CAOP alternatives was identical in both centers (5.8%), but the specific reasons varied, with KNU having mostly plan-related changes (38.1% of alternatives), and UIC with more access and education-related reasons (68.8% of alternatives). At KNU, 71.4% of all alternatives were by repeat OS-CAOP, whereas at UIC, all were by in-house CAOP (IH-CAOP). CONCLUSIONS: In 2 major academic oral and maxillofacial surgery centers in South Korea and the United States, a substantial portion of OS-CAOP required pre-surgical modification, or use of alternatives. Most of the changes were for reasons that could potentially impact outcomes, prompting the need to consider establishing a "safety net" plan compatible with individual clinician's practice setting and healthcare system.

What Do We Know Beyond Reliability in Voxel-Based Registration? Validation of the Accuracy of Regional Voxel-Based Registration (R-VBR) Techniques for Orthognathic Surgery Analysis.

PURPOSE: Despite having excellent reproducibility, the accuracy of regional voxel-based registration (R-VBR) techniques used for postoperative orthognathic surgical analysis has not been validated. The purpose of this study was to validate the accuracy of R-VBR. METHODS: Preoperative (T0) and postoperative (T1) cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) of consecutive patients treated at a single center with nonsegmental LeFort I and bilateral sagittal split osteotomy were included. T1 CBCTs were oriented to match that of the standardized T0, and thus were assigned a known rotational transformation matrix in pitch/roll/yaw (P/R/Y), to create T1-prime (T1'). A copy of T1 (cT1) was made and was superimposed to T1' using R-VBR for 4 regions of interest (ROI): maxilla, distal mandible, right proximal mandible, and left proximal mandible, to create cT1'. The transformation matrix for each of the ROI was compared to those of T1' using paired t test and Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-eight eligible subjects' CBCTs were analyzed. Mean difference between T1' and cT1' ranged from -0.08 to 0.14° (maximum 0.73°), with no statistically significant differences (P = 0.216 to 1). Mean absolute difference ranged from 0.13 to 0.31° (maximum 0.73°). Bland-Altman analysis showed good agreement between T1' and cT1', indicating excellent accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: R-VBR using the maxilla, distal mandible, and the bilateral proximal mandibular segments as ROI has excellent accuracy in terms of rotational measurements.

Management of Chronic Idiopathic Pain in Patients With Dental Implant Without a Clear Pathological Lesion: A Retrospective Study.

Non-nociceptive, persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP) is a poorly localized, continuous dull pain that occurs even in the absence of apparent pathological lesions or clinical neurologic deficiency. This study aimed to investigate the disease characteristics of PIFP that developed after dental implant treatment. The clinical characteristics of pain as well as treatment method and outcomes were retrospectively analyzed in 20 patients diagnosed with PIFP. The patients developed pain either after implant fixation or prosthetic treatment. In most patients, the pain persisted not only around the implant region but also at a distant site from the related implant (13/20, 65%). Many patients desired removal of the implants to manage the pain although the pain was not considered to be related to the implant treatment. In 12 patients, the related implants were removed, but 67% (n = 8/12) of the patients still experienced chronic pain after implant removal. Medication helped decrease the pain in most patients (n = 17). Pregabalin and clonazepam showed relatively higher efficiency than other medications for controlling the pain. The results showed that although the onset of PIFP was related to dental implant treatment, implant removal could not be considered a reliable option for the management of PIFP. Although medication controls the pain at least partially, complete pain control with medication should not be expected. These results demonstrate that an accurate diagnosis of PIFP is important for the selection of appropriate treatment.

Aspergillosis of the Maxillary Sinus Associated With Dental Implant.

Aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Aspergillus; this disease frequently involves the lungs and occasionally the maxillary sinus. Aspergillosis in the maxillary sinus usually has the characteristics of a noninvasive form. It has been suggested that spores of aspergillus can be inhaled into the maxillary sinus via the osteomeatal complex or via an oroantral fistula after dental procedures, such as an extraction. However, maxillary aspergillosis related to implant installation has rarely been reported. This report regards unusual cases of maxillary aspergillosis associated with dental implant therapies in healthy patients. The cases were successfully treated with the surgical removal of the infected or necrotic tissues.

Differential Angiogenic Potential of 3-Dimension Spheroid of HNSCC Cells in Mouse Xenograft.

The experimental animal model is still essential in the development of new anticancer drugs. We characterized mouse tumors derived from two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cells or three-dimensional (3D) spheroids to establish an in vivo model with highly standardized conditions. Primary cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were cultured from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tumor tissues and co-injected with monolayer cancer cells or spheroids into the oral mucosa of mice. Mice tumor blood vessels were stained, followed by tissue clearing and 3D Lightsheet fluorescent imaging. We compared the effect of exosomes secreted from 2D or 3D culture conditions on the angiogenesis-related genes in HNSCC cells. Our results showed that both the cells and spheroids co-injected with primary CAFs formed tumors. Interestingly, vasculature was abundantly distributed inside the spheroid-derived but not the monolayer-derived mice tumors. In addition, cisplatin injection more significantly decreased spheroid-derived but not monolayer-derived tumor size in mice. Additionally, exosomes isolated from co-culture media of FaDu spheroid and CAF upregulated angiogenesis-related genes in HNSCC cells as compared to exosomes from FaDu cell and CAF co-culture media under in vitro conditions. The mouse tumor xenograft model derived from 3D spheroids of HNSCC cells with primary CAFs is expected to produce reliable chemotherapy drug screening results given the robust angiogenesis and lack of necrosis inside tumor tissues.

Median Lingual Foramen, a new midmandibular cephalometric landmark.

PURPOSE: In asymmetrical mandibles, it is often challenging to identify the mandibular midline. The median lingual foramen (MLF) is located at the midline of the anterior mandible. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reproducibility of identifying the MLF compared to conventional landmarks on cone beam computed tomography's (CBCT's) to mark the mandibular midline. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten symmetrical class II, 10 symmetrical class III, ten asymmetrical class II and 10 asymmetrical class III patients were included. On CBCTs, the cephalometric landmarks menton, pogonion, genial tubercle and MLF were identified twice by two observers. RESULTS: A high intra- and interobserver reproducibility was found for all landmarks, the highest being the MLF. The gain in accuracy is 0.998 mm, 0.824 mm and 0.361 mm compared to pogonion, genial tubercle and menton, respectively (P-value <.05). CONCLUSION: MLF is a reliable and reproducible landmark to indicate the midline of the mandible, particularly in Class II asymmetric mandibles.

Eye Globe Rupture Caused by Dental Implant-Related Maxillary Sinusitis.

Eye globe rupture with consequent enucleation is an extremely rare complication of orbital infection spreading from maxillary sinusitis related to dental implant surgery. We report a case of orbital abscess leading to rupture of the globe of the eye in a 60-year-old woman with acute unilateral maxillary sinusitis after dental implant surgery on the left maxillary alveolar bone. The patient had uncontrolled diabetes. Despite surgical intervention, infection of the maxillary sinuses spread to the ocular area, causing disastrous results. To our knowledge, this entity has not been reported previously.

How Accurate Is 3-Dimensional Computer-Assisted Planning for Segmental Maxillary Surgery?

PURPOSE: The 3-dimensional (3D) accuracy of computer-assisted planning (CAP) of segmental maxillary osteotomies has seldom been reported with a comprehensive 3D analysis. The aim of the present study was to measure the accuracy of computer-planned segmental maxillary surgery and to identify the factors associated with accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present retrospective, cross-sectional study investigated cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of patients who had undergone segmental maxillary osteotomy with CAP at a single center from January 2013 to October 2019. The predictor variables were age, gender, diagnosis, CAP method, type of maxillary segmentalization, surgeon, surgical sequence, and magnitude of planned and actual movements. The primary outcome variable was surgical discrepancy (linear differences between the actual and planned maxillary movements using CAP in the x, y, and z coordinates) at various 3D landmarks. The mean difference and absolute mean difference (AMD) were computed to estimate the direction and magnitude of the discrepancies. In addition, a 2.0-mm threshold of surgical discrepancy was used to determine clinically acceptable accuracy. The association between the predictor and outcome variables were analyzed statistically using correlation and regression analyses. RESULTS: The sample included 63 patients (mean age, 20.1 years; 42.9% male). The surgical discrepancy was similar for 2- and 3-piece segmental maxillary osteotomies. Overall, the AMD for all patients was 0.96 ± 0.69 mm transversely, 1.23 ± 0.83 mm vertically, and 1.16 ± 0.80 mm anteroposteriorly (P < .01 for all). The discrepancy between the actual and planned movements was within 2.0 mm for more than 80% of cases. The major predictor variable that affected surgical discrepancy was the magnitude of the actual surgical movements (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: 3D CAP showed clinically acceptable accuracy for segmental maxillary osteotomies comparable to that of nonsegmental cases. Although the magnitude of actual surgical movements was shown to affect surgical accuracy, the sources of surgical discrepancies requires further investigation.

Three-Dimensional Analysis of Lip Asymmetry and Occlusal Cant Change After Two-Jaw Surgery.

PURPOSE: Lip asymmetry greatly influences patient satisfaction after 2-jaw surgery. The purpose of the present study was to identify the influence of skeletal changes on lip cant correction in 2-jaw surgery for mandibular prognathism with asymmetry. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The present retrospective cohort study included consecutive skeletal Class III patients who had undergone Le Fort I and sagittal split ramus osteotomy with preoperative and 6-month postoperative cone-beam tomography scans available. The primary predictor variables were the postoperative hard tissue changes (canine cant, first molar cant, transverse change at menton [Me] after surgery, and changes postoperatively from preoperatively). The primary outcome variable was the change in the soft tissue lip cant. The secondary outcome variables were the changes in various landmarks representing perioral asymmetry, including center of cupid's bow, lower lip vermilion, and subnasale. Other variables included subject age and gender. Descriptive statistics and regression and correlation analyses were used to investigate the important predictors influencing lip cant change. RESULTS: A total of 58 patients (33 males; average age, 21.7 years) were included in the present study. The demographic variables of the asymmetry group (Me deviation >4 mm) were not different from those of the control group. Postoperative changes in Me deviation correlated significantly with the changes in the transverse position of the subnasale, upper lip, and horizontal and vertical differences in the mouth corner position (P < .01 for all) but not with the maxillary occlusal cant change. Linear regression analysis showed lip cant correction was associated with changes in Me deviation (P < .001) and molar cant change (P = .032), but not with canine cant change. CONCLUSIONS: Maxillary occlusal cant correction itself cannot fully account for changes in lip cant. The transverse Me change-rather than maxillary cant correction-had the greatest influence on lip cant. These results suggest that correction of chin deviation must be addressed in lip cant correction for facial asymmetry.

Reliability of digital measurement methods on the marginal fit of fixed prostheses: A systematic review and meta-analysis of in vitro studies.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Digital methods have been increasingly used to evaluate the fit of prostheses, but the accuracy of digital methodology has not been fully clarified. PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the reliability of digital measurement methods for evaluating the marginal fit of fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) and to identify the potential factors that can influence the accuracy of the measurement methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The differences between digital and conventional measurement methods were analyzed by searching PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for studies reporting the marginal fit of FDPs. The agreement of data collection among the reviewers was confirmed by the Cohen kappa coefficient, and the MINORS scale was used to rate the quality of the included studies. The heterogeneity among the studies was evaluated, and meta-analyses with global and subgroup analyses were performed. RESULTS: Ten in vitro studies were selected according to the eligibility criteria with substantial interreader concordance (κ=0.88). The standard mean difference of the meta-analysis for marginal discrepancy was 0.12 µm (95% confidence interval: -0.12 to 0.35), indicating that no statistically significant differences were found in the marginal discrepancies observed with digital and conventional methods (P=.343). The subgroup analysis for alloy-based prostheses was not significantly different, nor between the material and measurement methods (P=.060). CONCLUSIONS: Digital methods appear to be reliable as an alternative to conventional methods for evaluating the marginal fit of FDPs. To confirm the results of this study and to identify the influencing factors on the accuracy of digital measurement methods, further controlled laboratory and clinical studies are needed.

Oral tuberculosis mimicking a traumatic denture ulcer.

Tuberculosis (TB) of the oral cavity may be overlooked in the differential diagnosis of oral lesions and can be misdiagnosed and managed incorrectly. A 66-year-old man with complete dentures presented with a nonhealing mucosal ulcer in the upper lip. Despite the treatments performed by a local medical clinic, the ulcerative lesion on the denture-bearing area had not improved over 5 months. A partial excisional biopsy was performed to investigate further. Histopathologic examination revealed granulomatous inflammation caused by TB, and a chest radiograph showed consolidation and cavitation of the upper lobes. The patient was diagnosed with pulmonary TB. This clinical report describes the management of oral TB mimicking a traumatic denture ulcer in a patient with long-term complete denture use.

Nasal Deviation in Patients With Asymmetric Mandibular Prognathism.

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to evaluate the nasal deviation in patients with asymmetric mandibular prognathism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients with skeletal class III malocclusion were included in the study. Significant mandibular asymmetry of >4 mm menton deviation in three-dimensional (3D) reformatted cone beam computed tomography images was defined as asymmetry group (n = 20). Patients without mandibular asymmetry served as control group (n = 15). The mandibular asymmetry was evaluated pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: Nasal tip was significantly shifted to the deviated side of the mandible (short side) in the asymmetry group, as compared to the control group (1.5 ±â€Š0.9 degree, P < 0.01). Alar base angle (ABA) was significantly narrower in nondeviated side (long side) than in the deviated side in asymmetry group. However, control group showed no bilateral difference in ABA. Correction of deviated mandibular prognathism by isolated mandibular surgery resulted in change in the ABA but not the columella base position or nasal asymmetry. ABA on nondeviated side significantly decreased in proportion to the amount of transverse menton movement by surgery (r = -0.560, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that mandibular chin deviation was accompanied by nasal deviation. Isolated mandibular surgery can potentially influence the alar base position on the contralateral side of deviation but not the nasal tip asymmetry. Therefore, clinicians should inform patients preoperatively of the fundamental limitation of mandibular surgery in cases with preexisting nasal asymmetry.

Comparison of gene expression between mandibular and iliac bone-derived cells.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in gene expression between the human mandibular and iliac bone-derived cells (BCs) for better understanding of the site-specific characteristics of bones. METHODS: Primary cells were obtained from mandibular and iliac bones from six healthy, elderly donors. To investigate site-specific differences, gene expression profile of mandibular and iliac BC from the same donors were compared via cDNA microarray analysis. RESULTS: A comparison of the gene expression profiles revealed that 82 genes were significantly upregulated and 66 genes were downregulated with 1.5 fold or greater in mandibular versus iliac BCs. The most significantly differentially regulated genes were associated with skeletal system development or morphogenesis (SIX1, MSX1, MSX2, HAND2, PRRX1, OSR2, HOX gene family, PITX2). Especially, upregulated genes in mandibular BC were related with tooth morphogenesis, originated from the ectomesenchyme. Microarray analysis revealed that Msx1 was 2.03-fold and Msx2 was 1.99-fold upregulated in mandibular versus iliac BCs (both p < 0.01). Furthermore, in mandibular BCs, all members of the HOX gene family that were analyzed were downregulated (p < 0.01) and osteopontin was also downregulated by 2.84-fold (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Site-specific differences between jaw and long bones can be explained by the differences in gene expression patterns. Our results suggest that bone cell-derived cells maintain the genetic characteristics of their embryological origin. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study revealed fundamental differences in gene expression between the mandibular and iliac bone in humans. These differences could be important for understanding jaw bone-specific development of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Osteonecrosis associated with dental implants in patients undergoing bisphosphonate treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Bisphosphonate-related jaw necrosis (BRONJ) associated with dental implants is a rare but continuously reported complication. To verify clinical and pathological characteristics of BRONJ around dental implants, the present study analyzed clinical, radiographic and histopathological findings of these lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients were diagnosed with osteonecrosis of the jaw associated with dental implants and treated at our institute from 2008 to 2011. The patients' medical history, demographic features, radiographic, and histopathological findings along with information on bisphosphonates (BP) administration were analyzed. RESULTS: The majority of BRONJ patients associated with dental implants used oral BP for osteoporosis. The patients were divided into two groups: BP initiation before (n = 16) and after (n = 3) implant surgery. Only three patients (15.8%) could be regarded as "implant surgery-triggered" BRONJ. Many patients (n = 9) showed successful osteointegration after fixture installation to an average of 35 months (11-82 months) until the development of osteonecrosis. The histological features of the lesion showed that the necrotic bone with empty lacunae was infiltrated by inflammatory cells and bacterial colonies. Viable osteocytes were also observed in some areas of the bony specimens. Three types of bone destruction pattern were observed: (i) complete necrosis of the bone around the implant (frozen type), (ii) extensive osteolysis around the implant with or without sequestra (osteolytic type), and (iii) sequestration of bone with an implant maintaining direct implant-bone contact (en block sequestration type). These findings could be existed at the same lesions depending on the degree of local bone destruction and the severity of the infection. CONCLUSION: These results and those of others suggested that already osseointegrated dental implants can also cause the osteonecrosis around the implant after BP administration. En block sequestration of bone with implant might be one of the characteristics of implant-related BRONJ, which is different from peri-implantitis-induced bone destruction. The possible role of microcracks in this type of bone destruction needs to be examined further.

Stability of mandibular setback surgery with and without presurgical orthodontics.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare stability after mandibular setback surgery in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion with and without presurgical orthodontics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included consecutive patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion who underwent only mandibular surgery. Patients treated with the surgery-first approach without presurgical orthodontics (SF group) were compared with a control group (conventional surgery with presurgical orthodontics; CS group) using lateral cephalograms taken preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at the time of debonding. Predictor variables (group and timing), outcome variables (cephalometric measurements over time), and other variables, such as baseline characteristics, were evaluated to determine the difference in stability of mandibular positions such as the B point. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients were enrolled in this study (CS group, n = 38; SF group, n = 23). Baseline demographic variables were similar in the 2 groups except for orthodontic treatment period. The mean setback of the mandible at the B point was similar (CS group, 8.7 mm; SF group, 9.1 mm; difference, P > .05), but the horizontal relapse in the SF group (2.4 mm) was significantly greater than in the CS group (1.6 mm; P < .05). Patients with a horizontal relapse greater than 3 mm comprised 39.1% of the SF group compared with 15.8% of the CS group (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Mandibular sagittal split ramus osteotomy without presurgical orthodontic treatment was less stable than conventional orthognathic surgery for mandibular prognathism. Before performing a surgery-first approach, skeletal stability needs to be considered.

Sagittal split osteotomy on the previously reconstructed mandible with fibula free flap.

The fibula free flap offers several advantages in mandibular reconstruction, including an optimal length and bone quality for dental implantation; therefore, the use of this flap has become a method of choice for mandibular reconstruction. Although the development of computer-assisted surgical planning has increased the accuracy of mandibular reconstruction, some unexpected outcomes still occur in clinical settings. The patient in this report underwent mandibular reconstruction with the fibula free flap because of mandibular resection resulting from an ameloblastoma. However, unexpected movement of the grafted fibula bone had been observed, and we could not achieve a proper occlusal relationship even with implant-supported prosthesis. To resolve this problem, we corrected the position of previously grafted fibula and implants by using orthognathic surgery: sagittal split osteotomy on body and angle area and vertical osteotomy on the mandibular symphysis. After the orthognathic surgery at the previously reconstructed mandible with fibula free flap, a favorable and stable occlusal relationship could be achieved. The result demonstrated that the sagittal split osteotomy at the previous fibula free flap site can be successfully carried out to establish the proper occlusion.

Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw at a previously grafted sinus.

It had been frequently reported that surgical trauma by implant surgery can be related with the onset of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ). Recently, a long-standing dental implant itself has also been reported to be a risk for the development of BRONJ. This article reports a case of development of BRONJ after long-term oral bisphosphonate (BP) administration and successful maxillary sinus augmentation with a xenograft and simultaneous dental implantation. Considering that the dental implant at the grafted sinus had been maintained successfully for a long period, the BRONJ in the present case was not related to surgical trauma but was regarded a spontaneous onset. The current case highlights the necessity of a long-term follow-up for BP patients with maxillary sinus augmentation for implant placement, even though the short-term progress after sinus surgery is normally uneventful.

Reconstruction of an upper lip vermilion defect with a mucosal V-Y advancement flap: a case report.

The upper lip is a functionally and aesthetically important area of the face. Therefore, reconstruction of an upper lip defect needs sufficient consideration to ensure functional and aesthetic recovery. Several methods, such as wedge resection, rotation flaps, advancement flaps, and myomucosal advancement flaps, have been used to reconstruct vermilion defects. However, it is challenging to reconstruct a vermilion defect because of the possibility of residual asymmetry or scars and restrictions to normal lip movement after the reconstruction. We present the case of a 51-year-old female that had an upper lip vermilion defect caused by a dog bite. The lip defect was reconstructed using a mucosal V-Y advancement flap. This mucosal flap was based on the orbicularis oris muscle with a branch of the superior labial artery to ensure sufficient blood supply. Therefore, flap survival was excellent, and there was no constriction of the flaps. Moreover, the color and contour were matched to the adjacent lip tissue, and re-establishment of the white roll and adequate lip volume were achieved. This mucosal V-Y advancement flap technique represents a reliable method to repair mucosal defects without vascular compromise of the flap.