Application of bilateral condylectomy as an alternative surgical treatment for Class III malocclusion with posterior vertical excess, a technical note.

The Posterior vertical excess (PVE) associates a symmetric ramus and condyle elongation to an Angle Class III malocclusion. This dento-skeletal discrepancy can be isolated or associated to a condyle hyperplasia or a transverse overgrowth of the mandible due to macroglossia. We present the technique and the postoperative results of bilateral condylectomy applied for the surgical correction of PVE. Bilateral condylectomy represents an alternative to the bimaxillary surgery and adds to the therapeutic arsenal for the correction of Angle Class III malocclusion.

Evaluation of the efficacy of a custom-made monoblock mandibular advancement device in treatment of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Mandibular advancement devices (MAD) are an alternative to continuous positive airway pressure for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). We aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a custom-made monoblock MAD for the treatment of OSAHS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a monocentric retrospective observational study including patients with OSAHS (mild, moderate or severe) or isolated ronchopathy from January 2005 to March 2023. The primary objective was to evaluate the overall efficiency of the MAD assessed by the percentage of patients successfully treated. The secondary objectives included the global efficiency of the device in the treatment of snoring, the report of side effects, and the identification of predictive factors for efficacy or failure. RESULTS: The medical records of 586 patients were collected, and 293 patients (229 OSAHS and 64 isolated ronchopathy) were included in the analysis. After a mean 2.9 years follow-up, 72.5 % of patients were successfully treated by MAD. We observed a significant improvement in ronchopathy, both in terms of intensity and percentage of time per night. Regarding patients with isolated ronchopathy, 87.5 % reported an improvement in their symptoms and satisfaction with their treatment. Finally, 14.0 % of the patients declared side-effects, the dentoskeletal modifications being the most frequent (6.1 % of the patients). CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the long-term efficacy and good tolerance of a custom-made monoblock orthosis in OSAHS.

Radiological evaluation of inferior alveolar nerve displacement after removal of impacted mandibular third molars prior to sagittal split osteotomy.

INTRODUCTION: We hypothesize that the removal of mandibular third molars (M3) 6 months prior to a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) could allow the displacement of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) in a favorable lingual position. This study aimed to radiographically compare the position of IAN before and after M3 removal in patients with Class II malocclusion. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The CBCT images of 30 randomly selected patients (mean age 15.5 years, 19 females and 11 males) were segmented regarding the mandibular bone and the IAN canal. Mandibles were then superimposed and compared using 3D slicer (www.slicer.org). An orthonormal system was constructed, and the coordinates of IAN were assessed in the x- (horizontal axis), y- (depth axis), and z- (vertical axis) directions. RESULTS: The mean changes in x- and z-values were 0.37 %, -0.09 % for the right IAN, 0.07 %, and -0.10 % for the left IAN, respectively. Y-axis was the dimension the most impacted by the M3 removal with a mean variation of -11.96 % for the right IAN, and 0.45 % for the left nerve (p1=0.74 and p2=0.04, respectively). Three patients presented a change in the IAN position superior to 1 mm on at least one coordinate axis. We observed a more important change in x-values of the right IAN in male than in female (p = 0.04), and no significant modifications regarding the other dimensions. Finally, there was no correlation between the age of the patients and the changes in IAN position. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the absence of influence of mandibular third molar removal on the inferior alveolar nerve route prior to BSSO.

Reconstruction techniques of the orbit after Brown class III maxillectomy: A systematic review.

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the surgical techniques used for orbital floor reconstruction after Brown class III maxillectomy for cancer. Three databases were searched from January 1990 to January 2022. Of the 614 studies identified, 20 were retained after eligibility assessment. The surgical techniques were classified into four groups: free bone flaps (A), alloplastic implants (B), bone grafts (C), and soft-tissue reconstructions (D). Ectropion and diplopia concerned 42.6% and 6.6% of the patients, respectively. Soft tissue reconstruction was more likely to cause ectropion (17/27), followed by the reconstruction techniques of group B (34/79), group C (26/70), and group A (1/7). Postoperative enophthalmos was identified in 18 patients (9.6%), mostly in group D (5/35), followed by groups B (8/68), A (3/33), and C (2/52). Free bone flaps and alloplastic implants represent good reconstructive options in terms of postoperative ocular parameters.