Accuracy of Three-Dimensional Soft Tissue Prediction in Orthognathic Cases Using Dolphin Three-Dimensional Software.

INTRODUCTION: Orthodontists and surgeons have been looking for more accurate methods to plan and predict surgical outcomes in patients with skeletal discrepancies. METHODS: The sample consisted of 20 subjects from the surgical clinic of a graduate orthodontic program who had been treated with Le Fort I maxillary movement, bisagittal split osteotomy, with or without genioplasty. All subjects had to have preoperative (T0) and at least 6 months postoperative (T1) cone-beam computed tomographies that were imported to Dolphin three-dimensional (3D) software version 11.9 in digital imaging and communications in medicine format. Three-dimensional voxel-based superimposition on the cranial base was performed for T0 and T1 to accurately measure the skeletal surgical movements. A virtual orthognathic surgery was performed on T0 to mimic the actual skeletal osteotomies using the treatment simulation tool in Dolphin 3D. A prediction 3D soft tissue image (Tp) was generated based on the Dolphin virtual skeletal planning. The differences between Tp and T1 for all patients were measured using linear and angular measurements visualized by surface mapping. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between Tp and T1 in Nasolabial angle, Soft tissue A point, and Subalar area. CONCLUSIONS: The soft tissue prediction accuracy after double jaw surgery using Dolphin 3D is limited in some areas, especially upper lip and base of the nose.