Purpose: This study was to evaluate bone healing and postoperative stability after posterior bending osteotomy (PBO) of distal segment in SSRO to minimize interferences between proximal and distal segments, and to evaluate the usefulness of PBO application in facial asymmetry.

Methods: PBO was done to minimize the interferences between proximal and distal segment after mandibular split by BSSRO patients with facial asymmetry ( n = 13), while grinding method was used in minor interferences ( n = 9). Preoperative, immediate postoperative, 6 months postoperative PA and lateral cephalograms were evaluated. The changes of mention on PA cephalograms and B point on lateral cephalograms were calculated for evaluating postoperative stability of mandible and statistically analyzed. In addition, the adaptation and bone healing of PBO segment was assessed by 3 months-postoperative CT image and 3D reconstruction using Mimics 13.0 (Materialise NV, Belgium).

Results: The postoperative stability on PA and lateral cephalograms did not show statistically significant difference between PBO and grinding method. 11 of 13 patients with PBO showed proper bone healing. In cases of non-fixation of PBO segment with positioning screw ( n = 2) bone healing was poor, even though the PBO segments were well-maintained at desirable position.

Conclusion: PBO group showed favorable postoperative stability and satisfactory bone healing as well. Therefore, PBO could be suggested as a stable technique to minimize the interferences between proximal and distal segment in BSSRO of facial asymmetry patients.

Conflict of interest: None declared.