Evaluating Chin Position Stability After Genioplasty Using Lateral Cephalometry, CT and 3D Models: a retrospective study

Objective:Stabilization is considered to have an important role in the overall success of genioplasty, as in all orthognathic surgical procedures. Traditional assessments based on two-dimensional lateral cephalograms are limited by their inability to accurately represent complex three-dimensional anatomical changes. With advances in three-dimensional imaging and modeling, more precise evaluations of surgical outcomes have become possible. This study aims to compare the accuracy and consistency of two-dimensional lateral cephalograms, three-dimensional cephalometric analysis, and three-dimensional-printed models in assessing postoperative chin position stability following genioplasty.Methods:In this retrospective study, 12 patients who underwent genioplasty were assessed at three time points: preoperatively, at postoperative week one, and at postoperative month six. Positional changes of multiple anatomical reference points in the horizontal and vertical planes were measured using 2-dimensional lateral cephalograms, maxillofacial computed tomography scans, and 3-dimensional printed models. The accuracy and consistency levels of these methods in assessing skeletal stability were compared.Results:Measurements obtained from 2-dimensional cephalometric radiographs showed statistically significant differences compared to both 3-dimensional cephalometric analyses and 3-dimensional model measurements in horizontal and vertical dimensions (p 0.05), indicating high consistency between the two 3-dimensional methods.Conclusion:In conclusion, since 2-dimensional lateral cephalograms are limited by the drawbacks of 2-dimensional imaging techniques, leading to potential inaccuracies in assessing structures, 3- dimensional cephalometry via computed tomography or 3-dimensional modeling may offer more precise evaluations.