Pulp canal obliteration after Le Fort I osteotomy.

A longitudinal study of 51 patients was carried out to determine the frequency of pulp canal obliteration (PCO) after Le Fort I osteotomy for the correction of dentofacial anomalies and to analyse pre- and peroperative factors influencing the development of PCO. PCO developed in 14 (2.3%) of 617 maxillary teeth followed for an average period of 28 months (range 11-59). The highest frequency of PCO was demonstrated in canines (6.0%) and premolars (4.4%). Total PCO was present in 9 teeth and partial PCO in 5 teeth. PCO was more frequent among teeth adjacent to a vertical interdental osteotomy than in teeth with no relation to a vertical osteotomy (p less than 0.0001). Change in blood supply after the operation was suggested to be responsible for PCO, although it might have been effected by the combined surgical and orthodontic treatment. Long-term follow-up, including periapical radiographs, of teeth with PCO is suggested, as pulp necrosis may develop many years after surgery.