The role of the occlusal wafer in orthognathic surgery; a comparison of thick and thin intermediate osteotomy wafers.

The aim of this study was to compare two types of osteotomy wafers, derived from model surgery on a semi-adjustable anatomical articulator. The thick wafer was fabricated before autorotation of the mandibular cast and the thin after the autorotation. Twenty-five patients, 19 female and 6 male, who had osteotomies with a maxillary impaction as part of a bimaxillary correction were included in this study. Thick and thin wafers were fabricated and the surgeons were requested to compare both wafers, intra-operatively. Valid results were received for 19 cases, in 14 (74%) the surgeons concluded that both wafers located the maxilla in the same position. In 5 cases (26%) there was up to 2 mm difference in the maxillary position. These were cases when the impaction was > 6 mm, however, chi 2 and Fisher's exact test showed that the difference in impaction between the two groups was not significant (p = 0.06).