RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: In orthognathic surgery, internal fixation has been usually done with titanium plates and screws. Recently, Biodegradable plates and screws have been frequently used but the reports of long term results of postoperative stability are rare, especially after maxillary reposition in orthognathic surgery. OBJECTIVE: In order to clarify the clinical utility of self-reinforced bioresorbable poly-70L / 30DL-Lactide miniplates & screws in maxillary fixation after LeFort I osteotomy, this study examined the postsurgical changes in maxilla and complications of biodegradable plates and screws. STUDY DESIGN: Nineteen patients who had undergone maxillary internal fixation using biodegradable plates and screws were evaluated radiographically and clinically. A comparison study of the changes in maxilla position after surgery in all 19 patients was performed with 1-week, 1-month, 3-months, 6-months and/or 1-year postoperative lateral cephalograms by tracing. Complication of the biodegradable plates and screws was evaluated by follow-up roentgenograms and clinical observation. And one-way ANOVA test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The position of the maxillary bone was stable after surgery and was not changed significantly from 1 week to 1 year after operation. And we could not find any complication of biodegradable plates and screws. CONCLUSIONS: Internal fixation of the maxilla after LeFort I osteotomy using self-reinforced biodegradable plates and screws is a reliable method for maintaining postoperative position of the maxilla after LeFort I osteotomy.