[Is orthognathic surgery an alternative for mandibular osteopetrosis?].

INTRODUCTION: Osteopetrosis is a metabolic bone disease that leads to bone malformation and bone healing disorders. We report the case of a patient who underwent orthognathic surgery to treat a class III skeletal malocclusion. OBSERVATION: A 21-year-old patient had presented with osteopetrosis in his childhood, which had been treated by bone marrow transplantation. He presented with esthetic and functional sequels, a class III skeletal malocclusion, lateral mandibular deviation, and dental agenesis. This dysmorphism was corrected by bimaxillar osteotomy. The postoperative outcome was uneventful, with satisfactory and stable healing. DISCUSSION: The patient's lesions where after-effects of his disease, but the bone structure is normal, because osteopetrosis regressed after bone marrow transplantation. There is no risk for the consolidation. Osteopetrosis, even when treated by bone marrow transplantation, is not a contraindication for maxillomandibular osteotomy.