Aseptic necrosis of the mandible: report of two cases.

It appears that clinically significant aseptic necrosis following mandibular osteotomies is a more infrequent occurrence than that following maxillary surgery because only two cases were reported in a questionnaire dealing with major vascular complications following orthognathic surgery. Significant necrosis is unlikely to occur if a surgeon follows the basic principle of stripping the minimal amount of mucoperiosteum and muscle attachment from the osteotomized segments commensurate with the successful completion of the osteotomies.