An in vitro comparison between two different designs of sagittal split ramus osteotomy

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the influence of the type of osteotomy in the inferior aspect of the mandible on the mechanical performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was performed on 20 polyurethane hemimandibles. A sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) was designed in 10 hemimandibles (group 1) with a vertical osteotomy in the buccal side (second molar level) and final osteotomy was performed horizontally on the lingual aspect, while the mandible body osteotomy was finalized as a straight osteotomy in the basilar area, perpendicular to the body. For group 2, the same osteotomy technique was used, but an oblique osteotomy was done in the basilar aspect of the mandibular body, forming continuity with the sagittal cut in the basilar area. Using a surgical guide, osteosynthesis was performed with bicortical screws using an inverted L scheme. In both groups vertical compression tests were performed with a linear load of 1 mm/min on the central fossa of the first molar and tests were done with models made from photoelastic resin. Data were analyzed using Student's t-test, establishing a statistical significance when P <0.05. RESULTS A statistical difference was not observed in the maximum displacements obtained in the two osteotomies (P <0.05). In the extensiometric analysis, statistically significant differences were identified only in the middle screw of the fixation. The photoelastic resin models showed force dissipation towards the inferior aspect of the mandible in both SSRO models. CONCLUSION We found that osteotomy of the inferior aspect did not influence the mechanical performance for osteosynthesis with an inverted L system.