Experience and Implementation of Virtual Surgical Planning in Orthognathic Surgery in Northern Sweden

Abstract: ABSTRACT Background: Two-dimensional surgical planning does not adequately show the 3D aspect, which is important to assess in the planning of orthognathic surgery (OGS). In the last decade, 3D virtual surgical planning (VSP) has become an advantageous method and may replace conventional planning. Aim: To determine if the experience and implementation of VSP in OGS among professionals in oral and maxillofacial surgery in northern Sweden differs from the literature on the subject. Methods: A questionnaire was created for evaluation of the experience and implementation of VSP and a literature search was conducted through PubMed. Results: Fourteen of 17 respondents answered. Only fifty percent used VSP, even though all respondents were familiar with it. A bigger proportion of respondents would use VSP, but availability and lack of training prevented use. A sample of 33 articles were collected and described 1107 patients undergoing OGS, of which 1083 patients had undergone OGS with incorporation of VSP. Sixty-eight percent underwent bimaxillary surgery, 17 % maxillary surgery and 15 % mandibular surgery. Additionally, 169 patients were treated with genioplasty as well. Conclusion: The experience and implementation of VSP in northern Sweden are both in accordance and discordance with the literature. VSP has the advantage of accurate hard tissue prediction, but the literature describes the need of improvement concerning soft tissue imaging and postoperative assessment in VSP. More studies evaluating the accuracy and reliability of VSP software are needed. Disadvantages of VSP need to be resolved before VSP can replace conventional planning.