Raymond J. Fonseca

A retrospective study of advancement genioplasty

This study examined the immediate and postsurgical changes in the hard and soft tissues of the chin after advancement genioplasty by means of oblique osteotomy of the mandibular symphysis. Twenty-three patients who had undergone this procedure were evaluated cephalometrically for up to 6 months after surgery. The results indicated that the position of the genial segment is stable after advancement. There was a good correlation between the amount of hard versus soft tissue change with surgery in the horizontal direction but a poor correlation in the vertical plane. There was, however, a great amount of variability from one patient to the next in most of the variables examined. Follow-up results were generally very stable.

Particulate allogeneic bone grafts into maxillary alveolar clefts in humans: A preliminary report

The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of particulate allogeneic bone graft to adequately bridge unilateral maxillary alveolar clefts in humans. Twenty patients with unilateral alveolar clefts and oronasal fistula underwent alveolar cleft grafting with a clinically appropriate amount of particulate allogeneic bone. The grafted cleft area was followed radiographically for three to six months postsurgery. Although it was difficult to quantitate, it was both clinically and radiographically apparent at three months that bone bridging and filling of the cleft had occurred in 100% of the cases. From this study, it appears that allogeneic bone is a viable alternative for repairing alveolar clefts and that its use has a significant benefit to the patient by eliminating the morbidity of a second operative site.

Treatment of chronic drooling: A preliminary report

Chronic drooling can be both psychologically and physically damaging. The technique of sialodochoplasty with sublingual gland resection is a viable treatment modality for this problem. The results of a series of eight patients who underwent the procedure are reported. A short-term success rate of 75% was achieved without morbidity.

Allogeneic bone for secondary alveolar cleft osteoplasty

The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to determine the efficacy of allogeneic bone for secondary alveolar cleft osteoplasty. Twenty-four patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate treated with allogeneic bone grafts were examined by a surgeon, orthodontist, and prosthodontist 20 to 47 months after surgery. Radiographic and clinical examination of the periodontal status of the teeth adjacent to the cleft and their antimeres were compared for differences with Students t test and the Wilcoxon test. Radiographs indicated complete bone bridging in 21 patients. Two of the remaining three patients had a 1-mm radiolucent gap in the cleft site. The third patient had a 6-mm-wide radiolucency and recurrence of an oronasal fistula which was regrafted with autogenous bone. No statistically significant differences between the cleft and noncleft tooth antimeres were found for plaque, gingivitis, bleeding, sulcus depth, or level of attachment. A statistically significant difference in the amount of attached gingiva was found between the cleft and noncleft tooth antimeres. Nine patients with missing lateral incisor teeth avoided prosthetic replacement by orthodontic movement of the canine tooth into the grafted edentulous space. In those cases where the maxillary canine was unerupted at the time of the surgery, eruption into the graft occurred. Stability of the maxillary segments was sufficient to allow prosthodontic restoration with a fixed partial denture in those cases where it was indicated.

Preoperative nutritional supplementation for the orthognathic surgery patient

Orthognathic surgery patients were studied to determine the nutritional adequacy of a high-calorie liquid supplement. The supplements were given for one month before surgery in an attempt to achieve a 5% weight gain and/or for six weeks after surgery to approximate 50% of the estimated caloric requirements of the patients. It was concluded that preoperative supplementation to achieve weight gain before surgery is of no apparent value. However, balanced nutrient intake can be achieved for patients when supplementation is given postoperatively at a level of 50% of estimated caloric requirements, and can result in improved nitrogen retention and protein sparing.

Comparison of the healing and revascularization of onlayed autologous and lyophilized allogeneic rib grafts to the edentulous maxilla

The healing and revascularization of onlayed autologous and lyophilized allogeneic rib grafts to the edentulous maxilla in the Macaca fascicularis monkey were studied using clinical, histologic, and microangiographic methods at varying intervals of up to eight months. Results indicated that healing and revascularization were similar but resorption of the allografts occurred approximately three months later than resorption of the autografts. Both grafting systems appeared to have minimal osteogenic potential. Osteoinduction and the final bony augmentation obtained were less than were seen with comparable autologous and allogeneic interpositional grafts.

The effect of antenatal surgery on postnatal palatal growth in sheep

It has been suggested that repair of skin and mucosal wounds carried out in animals in utero leaves little or no trace of the operative procedure when examined at birth. This study examined the palates of lambs affected surgically in utero postnatally for scarring and transverse palatal growth. Nineteen pregnant sheep were affected at 120 days gestation. Surviving lambs followed for 6 months demonstrated altered palatal morphology.

A study of the utility of measuring mandibular mobility by means of the interincisal dimension

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the reliability of using the interincisal dimension as a measure of mandibular range of motion. Thirty patients who underwent mandibular advancement and 15 patients who underwent mandibular setback were included in this study. Preoperatively, a lateral cephalogram in centric relation and a second cephalogram with the mandible at maximum voluntary gape were obtained. Immediately following surgery, another centric relation cephalogram was obtained. A composite tracing of the two preoperative tracings was made to show how the mandible changed in position from the closed-mouth to the open-mouth radiographs. The proximal segment (ramus) of the postoperative cephalogram was then superimposed on the open-mouth mandibular ramus, and the distal segment of the postoperative mandible was drawn. This composite produced a tracing of what the postoperative maximal gape cephalogram would be if the same amount of condylar rotation and translation as in the preoperative tracing had occurred. The preoperative interincisal dimension was recorded on the composite tracings (factoring in any overbite or openbite) as was the would-be postoperative interincisal dimension. These measures were compared using the paired t test and Pearsons correlations to determine if there were any significant differences between them. The results showed that the interincisal dimension is a fairly reliable measure of mandibular mobility even when the length of the mandible is altered with surgery.