Soft-tissue changes related to the surgical management of mandibular prognathism.

A series of fifty patients treated surgically for mandibular prognathism has been analyzed statistically to study relative soft- and hard-tissue changes. Changes in the soft tissue of the chin and in the lower lip position relative to the underlying mandibular structures are well related in a nearly 1:1 ratio. Upper lip modifications have been shown to be less well related to mandibular repositioning. The ratio of change of mandibular landmarks to soft-tissue points and their over-all positional change can be helpful in presurgical treatment planning of patients with mandibular prognathism.