Evaluation of the esthetic results of a 40-patient group treated surgically for dentoskeletal class III malocclusion

A dentoskeletal Class III malocclusion results in unesthetic alterations of the soft tissues, which may cause psychologic and interpersonal problems. Surgical treatment, if based on cephalometric evaluations alone, can result in inadequate correction of facial esthetics. The aim of this paper is to discuss the esthetic needs observed in surgical planning of a group of 40 Class III patients and to compare the presurgical esthetic parameters with those recorded in the sixth month of follow-up. To obtain the proper esthetic result and to restore proper stomatognathic functionality, surgical treatment planning required the integration and correction of skeletal cephalometric planning. In 24 of the 40 patients, the skeletal and esthetic planning were in agreement with each other. In the remaining 16 patients, the correction of skeletal planning with the esthetic planning was necessary to obtain the correct esthetic and functional restoration. In all patients, esthetic, radiographic, and functional analysis at the sixth month of follow-up revealed the restoration of correct facial esthetics in the vertical, transverse, and sagittal planes; no temporomandibular joint problems; and a high degree of personal satisfaction regarding the esthetic and functional result obtained, including improvements in social life and in masticatory function. Cephalometric indications should always be compared with esthetic clinical indications and, possibly, the skeletal planning must be corrected by the esthetic needs, so that esthetic and functional success can be reached at the same time.