A comparison and evaluation of the use of ultrasonic cutting devices with conventional powered instruments in orthognathic surgery

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of ultrasonic orthognathic surgery compared to conventional methods using powered instruments. The subjects were 146 patients in whom dentofacial deformities had been surgically corrected by a combined surgery of Le Fort I osteotomy and BSSO, and they were divided into two groups: 88 patients who underwent surgery using powered instruments and 58 patients who underwent surgery using the serrated aggressive knife tip of an ultrasonic bone cutting device. Intraoperative bleeding volume and surgical time in two groups were compared. Intraoperative bleeding volume in the ultrasonic bone cutting device group was significantly smaller by 36% than that in the powered instruments group. On the other hand, surgical time in the ultrasonic bone cutting device group was significantly longer by 11% than that in the powered instruments group. Although there was a significant correlation between intraoperative bleeding volume and operation time in each group, the regression line in the ultrasonic bone cutting device group was lower and gentler than that in the powered instruments group. Therefore, it is considered that ultrasonic orthognathic surgery with a serrated aggressive knife tip is very effective for improving safety.