An alternative soft tissue analysis following mandibular setback by sagittal split ramus osteotomy

Objective The objective of this study was to determine alternative ratios of soft-to-hard tissue movement after mandibular setback, taking skeletal relapse and differing patterns of facial divergence into account. Study design Thirty patients were analyzed cephalometrically over a mean follow-up period of 14 months. Results The relationship between skeletal and soft tissue movements in the mentolabial folds and at the pogonion was 1:1. Final skeletal relapse was 0.8 mm at the B-point and 0.5 mm at the pogonion. Hence, the alternative ratios were 81% and 68%, respectively. The alternative ratio for the mentolabial sulcus was considerably lower in the low- than in the high- and medium-angle groups of patients. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the patient groups with different facial patterns. Conclusion When the smallness of the measured relapse and the tracing error are taken into account, the difference between the alternative and the conventional ratios was insignificant.