Objective: In order to clarify the clinical utility of the vertical height augmentation (VHA) genioplasty using autogenous iliac bone graft (IBG), this study examined the postsurgical changes in hard and soft tissues of the chin and the stability of the grafted bone.
Study design: Twenty-three patients who had undergone VHA genioplasty using autogenous IBG were evaluated radiographically and clinically. A comparison study of the changes in hard to soft tissues after surgery in all 23 patients was performed with preoperative, 1-month, 3-months, 6-months, and/or 1-year postoperative lateral cephalograms by tracing. Stability, bone healing, and complication of the grafted bone was evaluated by follow-up radiographs and clinical observation.
Results: Between the preoperative and 6-month postoperative tracings, an average vertical augmentation of the osseous segment was 4.2 mm at menton and that of the soft tissue menton was 4.0 mm. There was a high predictability of 1:0.94 between the amounts of hard versus soft tissue changes with surgery in the vertical plane. The position of the genial bone segment was stable immediately after surgery and soft tissue was not changed significantly from 1 month to 1 year after operation. Clinical and radiological follow-up results of the iliac bone graft showed normal bony union and were generally stable.
Conclusions: VHA genioplasty using IBG is a reliable method for predicting hard and soft tissue changes and for maintaining postoperative soft tissue of the chin after surgery.