OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the stability of bimaxillary surgery in patients with skeletal malocclusion, with the use of rigid internal fixation. METHODS: Lateral cephalograms from 20 patients, 11 males and 9 females, mean age of 26 years and 1 month, were evaluated before surgery, immediately post-operative and at least 6 months after surgery. Nineteen cephalometric measurements were evaluated, and the results were statistically analyzed by means of the Student's t test and the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: The Le Fort I maxillary advancement surgery showed almost no relapse. There was lack of stability of mandibular setback, with relapse of 37.33% on point B, due to counterclockwise rotation of the mandible between post-operative periods, occurred by better intercuspation after surgery and muscle adaptation. The results showed the same tendencies for both genders. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that on the bimaxillary surgery treatment of Class III malocclusion, the maxillary surgery was very stable, but the mandibular setback recurred. No statistical differences were found in surgical stability between genders.
Angle Class III malocclusion; Osteotomy; Le Fort osteotomy
