ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to test and compare the accuracy and reliability of soft tissue profile predictions generated from two computer software programs (Quick Ceph Image Pro(TM) (ver 3.0) and V-Ceph(TM) (ver 3.5)) for mandibular set-back surgery. The presurgical and postsurgical lateral cephalograms of 40 patients (20 males and 20 females) were traced on the same acetate paper with the reference taken as the cranial base outline. The presurgical skeletal outlines were digitized onto each computer program and the mandible was moved to mimic the expected surgical procedure with reference to the mandibular anterior border and lower incisor position of the actual postsurgical skeletal outline. The soft tissue profile was generated and the amount and direction of skeletal movement was calculated with each software. The predicted soft tissue profile was compared to the actual postsurgical soft tissue profile. There were differences between the actual and the predicted surgical soft tissue profile changes in the magnitude and direction, especially the upper lip, lower lip and the soft tissue chin (p < 0.05). Quick Ceph had more horizontal measurement errors and thickness errors for the upper lip and lower lip, but V-Ceph had more vertical measurement errors of the lower lip (p < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the prediction errors and the amount of mandibular movements in the vertical position of Sn, the horizontal position of Ls and the upper lip thickness for V-Ceph, and there was a negative correlation in the horizontal position and the thickness of the lower lip for Quick Ceph (p < 0.05). However, all of the prediction errors of both imaging softwares were ranged within 3 mm, and this was considered to be allowable clinically.