Radiologist’s Guide to Orthognathic Surgery

Orthognathic surgery, which focuses on improving maxillomandibular alignment, is increasingly used for both functional and cosmetic purposes. Common indications include malocclusion, obstructive sleep apnea, and congenital dentofacial anomalies. Due to the prevalence of in-office imaging performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons, radiologists are not routinely involved in the perioperative evaluation of patients undergoing orthognathic surgery. An understanding of modern surgical techniques and anatomy is necessary to recognize the normal and abnormal postsurgical findings.

Learning Objective: To familiarize radiologists with the role of imaging in the postoperative evaluation after orthognathic surgery and the imaging appearance of both common and rare complications