Adaptation of lateral pterygoid and anterior digastric muscles after surgical mandibular advancement procedures in different vertical craniofacial types: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical mandibular advancement procedures induce major adaptations of jaw-closing muscles. In this study, adaptation of antagonist muscles, the lateral pterygoid (LPM) and anterior digastric (DigA) muscles, was evaluated. STUDY DESIGN: Eighteen adult patients with mandibular retrognathia and individually varying vertical craniofacial dimensions were treated with bilateral sagittal split osteotomies (BSSO), in some cases combined with a Le Fort I osteotomy (LF Bimax). The sample was divided into 1 short-face (SF, n = 7) and 2 long-face groups (LF BSSO, n = 3; and LF Bimax, n = 8). Pre- and postoperative maximum cross-sectional areas (CSA) and volumes were compared in these groups. RESULTS: Postoperatively, CSA and volume of LPM increased in BSSO cases and decreased in bimaxillary cases. Inconsistent increases and decreases of CSA and volume of DigA were seen in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: The LPM became larger in SF and LF BSSO patients and smaller in LF Bimax patients. The DigA adapted unpredictably.

Adaptation of jaw closing muscles after surgical mandibular advancement procedures in different vertical craniofacial types: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical mandibular advancement influences the biomechanics of the mandible and as a result may provoke relapse. In this study, the adaptation of the masseter (MAS) and medial pterygoid muscles (MPM) after surgical mandibular advancement was evaluated. STUDY DESIGN: Of 12 patients with mandibular retrognathia and varying vertical craniofacial morphology, axial and 30 degrees angulated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan series were taken preoperatively and 10 to 48 months postoperatively. Using cluster analysis, subjects were assigned to a long-face (LF) and a short-face (SF) cluster. Subsequently, preoperative and postoperative maximum cross-sectional areas and volumes of the MAS and MPM were compared in these groups. RESULTS: The cross-sectional area and volume of the MAS decreased significantly in both the SF and LF cluster (up to 18%). Although not significantly, this phenomenon tended to be more pronounced in LF patients. The cross-sectional area of the MPM showed less adaptation. CONCLUSION: The jaw-closing muscles become significantly smaller after surgical mandibular advancement, irrespective of the vertical craniofacial type.