Abstract. This prospective longitudinal study assessed the 3D soft tissue changes
following mandibular advancement surgery. Cranial base registration was
performed for superimposition of virtual models built from cone beam computed
tomography (CBCT) volumes. Displacements at the soft and hard tissue chin
(n = 20), lower incisors and lower lip (n = 21) were computed for presurgery to
splint removal (46-week surgical outcome), presurgery to 1 year postsurgery (1-
year surgical outcome), and splint removal to 1 year postsurgery (postsurgical
adaptation). Qualitative evaluations of color maps illustrated the surgical changes
and postsurgical adaptations, but only the lower lip showed statistically significant
postsurgical adaptations. Soft and hard tissue chin changes were significantly
correlated for each of the intervals evaluated: presurgery to splint removal
(r = 0.92), presurgery to 1 year postsurgery (r = 0.86), and splint removal to 1 year
postsurgery (r = 0.77). A statistically significant correlation between lower incisor
and lower lip was found only between presurgery and 1 year postsurgery (r = 0.55).
Keywords: soft tissue changes; mandibular
At 1 year after surgery, 31% of the lower lip changes were explained by changes in advancement surgery; 3D analysis.
the lower incisor position while 73% of the soft tissue chin changes were explained
by the hard chin. This study suggests that 3D soft tissue response to mandibular Accepted for publication 22 November 2010
advancement surgery is markedly variable. Available online 5 January 2011
For the surgeon, the ability to plan accurate to follow the movement of the hard tissue grammetry2,3,8,19,24 and laser scan-
skeletal movements to correct a mandibular chin closely but that the lower lip position ning11,12,17,21 of the face have been used
deficiency is critical. Clinicians have was much more difficult to predict10,13,18. for 3D soft tissue superimposition, but
assumed that the soft tissue must adapt Assessments of soft tissue changes dur- their major limitation has been the inabil-
and follow the hard tissue movements, ing and after surgery require three dimen- ity to standardize registration of the
but even after decades of study, the associa- sional (3D) analysis and superimposition images over time. Current procedures to
tion between the skeletal and soft tissue due to the complexity of the behavior of integrate 3D facial images have reported
movements following mandibular advance- the soft tissue and the inability to measure significant errors in head positioning11,12,
ment is not well defined. Previous studies asymmetries in two-dimensional (2D) and potential errors in facial expression
have reported that the soft tissue chin tended images. Technologies such as 3D photo- have not been assessed6.
0901-5027/040353 + 07 $36.00/0 # 2010 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
354 Almeida et al.
This study assessed the stability of 3D thin wax bite to maintain centric occlu- tute for Surgical Technology and
soft tissue changes following mandibular sion25. In 5 cases, the CBCT imaging field Biomechanics, University of Bern, Swit-
advancement, and evaluated the associa- of view did not include all soft tissue struc- zerland, under the funding of the Co-Me
tion between soft and hard tissue changes tures, resulting in data for 21 patients for the network, http://co-me.ch)5. The CMF tool
using registration on the cranial base for lower lip and 20 patients for the soft tissue calculates thousands of color-coded point-
the superimposition of 3D virtual models chin (mandibular advancement alone to-point comparisons (surface distances in
built from cone beam computed tomogra- n = 11; and mandibular advancement and mm) between the 3D models, so that the
phy (CBCT) volumes. genioplasty n = 9). The 3D models were difference between two surfaces at any
constructed from CBCT images with a location can be quantified7. For quantita-
voxel dimension of 0.5 mm 0.5 mm tive assessment of the changes between
Patients and methods 0.5 mm. Image segmentation of the ana- the 3D surface models, the isoline tool was
Twenty-five patients (7 men, 18 women; tomic structures of interest and the 3D used. It allows the user to define a surface-
mean age 30.8 13.08 years) scheduled graphic rendering were done using ITK- distance value that is expressed as a con-
for mandibular advancement surgery were SNAP (open-source software, www. tour line (isoline) that corresponds to
recruited for this prospective observa- itksnap.org)26. regions having a surface distance equal
tional study. The protocol was approved The presurgery and postsurgery images to or greater than the defined value. The
by the Biomedical Institutional Review were registered using the cranial base as a isoline tool was used to quantitatively
Board, and informed consent was obtained reference, since this structure is not altered measure the greatest displacements
from all subjects. All patients had skeletal by surgery16. A fully automated voxel-wise between points in the 3D surface models
Class II discrepancies with >5 mm overjet rigid registration method was performed for the lower incisor edges, hard chin, soft
that was severe enough to warrant orthog- with IMAGINE (open-source software, chin and lower lip (Figs. 2 and 3). Positive
nathic surgery. All patients had pre- and http://www.ia.unc.edu/dev/download/ima- values indicated anterior-inferior displa-
post-surgical orthodontic treatment and gine/index.htm). The software compares cement and negative values posterior-
had mandibular advancement surgery with two images by using the intensity gray scale superior displacement.
bilateral sagittal split osteotomy. Nine for each voxel of the presurgical cranial For the right lower incisor, the maxi-
participants also had genioplasty as an base. Registration of the images was based mum surface distance was measured at the
adjunctive procedure. Patients with ante- on the cranial base surface. Soft tissue incisors border, so that the presence of
rior open bite, cleft lip or palate, or ske- structures are not stable enough for accurate brackets at splint removal would not inter-
letal disharmonies from trauma or registration. Virtual models of the soft and fere with the measurements. The hard
degenerative conditions such as rheuma- hard tissue were relocated with the cranial tissue chin region included the surface
toid arthritis were excluded. base (Fig. 1). from the chin prominence to the distal
CBCT scans were taken before surgery, After the registration step, all reoriented surface of the lower canines (Fig. 2A).
at splint removal (46 weeks postsurgery), virtual models, originally saved in .gipl The soft tissue chin region was defined
and 1 year postsurgery (after orthodontic format, were converted to an open inven- as the area under the lower lip between the
treatment) with the NewTom 3G (AFP tor format (.iv) by Vol2Surf (publicly lip commissures. The lower lip region was
Imaging, Elmsford, NY, USA). The ima- available software). This allowed quanti- defined as the lip vermilion (Fig. 2B).
ging protocol involved a 36 s head CBCT tative evaluation of the greatest surface The largest displacements at each ana-
scan with a 12 in field of view. All CT scans displacement by the CMF application soft- tomic region of interest were computed for
[()TD$FIG]
were acquired with the patient biting on a ware (developed at the M.E. Muller Insti- presurgery to splint removal (46-week
Fig. 1. (A) Image of the segmented hard tissues of interest. (B) Image of segmented soft tissue.
[()TD$FIG] Soft tissue response to mandibular advancement 355
Results
Agreement between the replicated mea-
surements was excellent (P < 0.001) for
all anatomic regions: hard chin
(ICC = 0.98); lower incisor (ICC = 0.94);
soft chin (ICC = 0.98); lower lip
Fig. 3. Illustrations of isolines as a measurement tool on a superimposition of pre- and post- (ICC = 0.96).
surgery segmentations. (A) Representation of the hard chin and the lower incisors. (B) Soft tissue facial results varied regardless
Representation of the soft chin and the lower lip. The qualitative changes were visualized of whether they had genioplasty. Some
with color maps that indicate inward (blue) or outward (red) displacement between overlaid swelling was still present at splint removal,
structures. An absence of change is indicated by green20. (For interpretation of the references to even in cases with mandibular advance-
color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of the article.) ment only and no genioplasty. Soft tissue
[()TD$FIG]
Fig. 4. Example of a case showing improvement of the surgery outcomes 1 year after surgery. (A) Color maps and semi-transparencies of
presurgery and splint removal superimposition. (B) Color maps and semi-transparencies of postsurgery and 1 year postsurgery superimposition.
Red indicates outward displacement, green no displacement and blue inward displacement. (For interpretation of the references to color in this
figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of the article.)
[()TD$FIG]
356 Almeida et al.
Fig. 5. Example of a case showing relapse of surgery outcomes 1 year after surgery. (A) Color maps and semi-transparencies of presurgery and
splint removal superimposition. The noise in the perifery of the CBCT generates artifacts in the soft tissue surface model in this patient. (B) Color
maps and semi-transparencies of postsurgery and 1 year postsurgery superimposition. Red indicates outward displacement, green no displacement
and blue inward displacement. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of the
article.)
facial results in the 1 year follow-up general slightly more marked than skeletal The average difference in the change
improved for some patients (Fig. 4), partial changes. from presurgery to splint removal com-
relapse was observed in some (Fig. 5) and Color map observation indicated that pared with the change from splint removal
most remained stable (Fig. 6). dental changes were less marked than to 1 year postsurgery was only statistically
Color maps of the mandibular changes skeletal changes. The lower incisor significantly different from zero for the
allowed clear visual analysis of the ante- edges were also displaced anterior-infer- inferior lip displacements (P = 0.01).
rior-inferior displacement of the hard chin iorly as a result of the mandibular The correlation between the soft and
at splint removal as an outcome of surgery. advancement surgery, with slight post- hard tissue chin displacements were sta-
The color maps also revealed a tendency for surgical adaptation in the opposite direc- tistically significant (P < 0.0001) for pre-
slight superior-posterior adaptation of the tion. The lower lip anterior-inferior surgery to splint removal (r = 0.92), splint
hard chin in the post-splint removal period. movement at splint removal was greater removal to 1 year postsurgery (r = 0.77)
The qualitative evaluation of the soft tissue than the lower incisor movement, and and presurgery to 1 year postsurgery
chin showed that this region had the same the postsurgical posterior-superior adap- (r = 0.86) (Table 1). The average displa-
behavior as the hard tissue chin at all time tation was also more marked than the cement of the soft tissue chin was greater
points, but changes in soft tissue were in lower incisor changes. than that of the hard tissue chin for all
[()TD$FIG]
Fig. 6. Example of a case that maintained the surgery outcomes 1 year after surgery. (A) Color maps and semi-transparencies of presurgery and
postsurgery superimposition. (B) Color maps and semi-transparencies of postsurgery and 1 year postsurgery superimposition. Red indicates
outward displacement, green no displacement and blue inward displacement. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the
reader is referred to the web version of the article.)
Soft tissue response to mandibular advancement 357
Table 1. Correlation of hard and soft tissue changes within each time interval.
Hard/soft tissue chin Lower incisor/lower lip
Time interval
* ** *
r P Variability explained r P Variability explained
Presurgery to splint removal 0.92 <0.001 85% 0.12 0.62 1.4%
Splint removal to 1 year postsurgery 0.77 <0.001 59% 0.21 0.36 4.4%
Presurgery to 1 year postsurgery 0.86 <0.001 74% 0.55 0.01 30%
*
Pearsons correlation coefficient (r).
**
Coefficient of determination.
Table 2. Difference in mm between hard and soft tissue chin displacements within each time interval.
Hard tissue Soft tissue Difference
n
Mean Std Min/Max Mean Std Min/Max Mean Std P
Presurgery to splint removal 20 6.36 2.39 2.5/15.8 7.06 2.27 3.5/10.0 0.72 0.92 0.002
Splint removal to 1 year postsurgery 20 0.69 2.28 4.8/4.2 0.70 3.10 5/5.2 0.01 1.97 0.98
Presurgery to 1 year postsurgery 20 5.83 2.42 1.9/15.6 6.68 2.16 2.3/10.5 0.85 1.25 0.007
Table 3. Difference in mm between lower incisors and lower lip displacements within each time interval.
Lower incisor Lower lip Difference
Time interval n
Mean Std Min/Max Mean Std Min/Max Mean Std P
Presurgery to splint removal 21 2.83 1.60 0.5/5.1 3.49 1.91 1.4/8 0.66 2.34 0.21
Splint removal to 1 year postsurgery 21 0.76 0.85 0.5/2.5 0.12 2.46 3.5/4.5 0.89 2.43 0.11
Presurgery to 1 year postsurgery 20 2.59 1.43 0.4/5.1 2.72 1.78 0.4/6.6 0.13 1.55 0.71
three time intervals, but the average dif- surgery to 1 year postsurgery explained lower incisor changes more than 2 mm
ference between the hard and soft tissue 73% of the variability in the soft tissue larger than the inferior lip changes, while
displacements from splint removal to 1 chin changes, which is less than the 85% more than 30% had a significant greater
year after surgery was not statistically that was observed for presurgery to splint displacement of the lip compared with the
significant (P = 0.98, Table 2). removal (Table 1). lower incisor. From splint removal to 1
For 10% of the subjects, the soft tissue The correlation between the displace- year postsurgery, approximately 20% of
chin changes between presurgery and ment of the lower incisor and the lower lip the patients had more than 2 mm differ-
splint removal in an anterior inferior was statistically significant for changes ence between the amount of lower lip and
direction were more than 2 mm larger between presurgery and 1 year postsur- lower incisor displacements. Between pre-
than the hard tissue chin changes. gery (r = 0.55), which means that only surgery to 1 year postsurgery over 50% of
Between splint removal and 1 year, a 30% of the variability of the lower lip the sample had more than 2 mm difference
slightly higher percentage (15%) of the displacement was explained by changes between the lower lip and lower incisor
subjects had a soft tissue displacement in the lower incisor position (Table 1). The displacement (Fig. 8). Figure 9 gives
that exceeded the hard tissue displace- average difference between the lower inci- examples of the three different periods
ment by 2 mm or more, while 15% had sor and lower lip displacements was not analyzed.
soft tissue changes that were more than statistically significant (Table 3).
2 mm smaller than the hard tissue change Between presurgery and splint removal,
Discussion
(Fig. 7). The chin displacement from pre- approximately 20% of patients showed
[()TD$FIG] CBCT images display the soft-tissue sur-
faces accurately, but noise in the image
can negatively affect the quality of the soft
tissue in the CBCT volume (Fig. 5)15. 3D
photographs provide additional informa-
tion about color and surface texture, as
well as higher resolution7. No soft tissue
structures are stable enough to allow regis-
tration between before- and after-treat-
ment images, because the soft tissues
change with growth, treatment, head pos-
ture, weight gain or loss, aging and facial
expression. 3D photographs provide no
hard tissue information and an assessment
of the associations between soft and hard
tissue changes would not be possible.
Fig. 7. Percentage of patients with differences in displacements of the hard and soft tissue chin Alternatively, the use of 3D photographs
greater than 2 mm. registered to CBCT images could improve
[()TD$FIG]
358 Almeida et al.
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