Programmazione ortodontica-prechirurgica

Objectives. The aim of this work is to present the protocol used with occlusal splint guides at the Orthodontic Section of the Department of Surgical, Reconstructive, and Diagnostic Sciences of Milan University. Materials and methods. In this study, we enrolled 15 patients undergoing orthodontic-surgical treatment. Tooth movement was planned according to the surgical and orthodontic VTO. Orthodontic set ups and occlusal splint guides were obtained to guide the orthodontist during the presurgical phase. Results. The use of occlusal splint guides projected on the basis of the surgical and orthodontic VTO was particularly important. At each visit, the clinician can evaluate how well the guides fit the dental arches. This procedure allows one to estimate the dental movements required without obtaining repeat alginate impression to evaluate presurgical results and without causing unfavorable phenomena such as jiggling movements. When the occlusal splint guides fit perfectly, the presurgical objectives have been reached and the patient is ready for the surgical intervention. Conclusions. The protocol described here allows high-precision planning of orthodontic-surgical therapy and optimization of each treatment phase, with consequent advantages in clinical practice.