Long-term hard and soft tissue relapse rate after genioplasty.

[PURPOSE] The purpose of this study was to assess hard and soft tissue stability 12 months after advancement genioplasty.

[MATERIAL AND METHODS] This is a retrospective study of 20 patients who underwent either advancement genioplasty alone (n = 11) or in combination with bilateral sagittal split osteotomy for mandibular advancement (n = 9). Lateral cephalometric radiographs were traced and immediate postoperative changes and 12-month postoperative changes were defined. The relapse rate for the pogonion, the soft tissue pogonion, and the soft tissue B point (Bs) were evaluated. The results were compared for combined mandibular advancement plus genioplasty versus genioplasty alone. Relapse rates were also correlated with the amount of advancement. All patients were treated with rigid internal fixation.

[RESULTS] After 12 months, the pogonion, the soft tissue pogonion, and the soft tissue B point had a mean relapse rate of -0.38 mm, -1.2 mm, and -1.5 mm (negative value indicates a relapse, and a positive value indicates prolapse), respectively, which was not significant at probability values of.45,.069, and.054, respectively. Relapse was not statistically related to the amount of advancement. There was no significant difference between the relapse rate for genioplasty alone versus combined bilateral sagittal split osteotomy and genioplasty, even with different amounts of advancement.

[CONCLUSIONS] Advancement genioplasty is an important and reliable technique for the esthetic treatment of the lower facial skeleton. The results indicate that there is no significant relapse after genioplasty and bilateral sagittal split osteotomy or genioplasty alone after 12 months when rigid internal fixation is used. The changes were minimal and hard to detect clinically. Genioplasty, with or without mandibular advancement, is a stable surgical procedure when used in conjunction with rigid internal fixation.