Changes in zygomatic arch position following experimental lateral displacement

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Craniofacial Reconstruction
• Biomaterials in Surgery

Background:

• Zygomatic arch hypoplasia or defects can impact facial aesthetics and function.
• Surgical augmentation aims to restore or enhance zygomatic arch prominence and width.
• Understanding the long-term stability of augmentation procedures is crucial for clinical success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the stability of lateral zygomatic arch augmentation.
• To assess the long-term dimensional changes following bone grafting to the zygomatic arch.

Main Methods:

• Osteotomy and lateral displacement of the zygomatic arch in eight rhesus monkeys.
• Augmentation using an 8 mm bone graft from the supraorbital ridge.
• Radiographic assessment (submento-vertex head films) over a 24-month follow-up period.

Main Results:

• A 55% reduction in lateral displacement was observed within 3 months post-surgery.
• Minimal changes occurred between 3 and 12 months, with mean values remaining stable.
• By 24 months, only 18% of the initial surgically created width difference persisted, indicating significant relapse.

Conclusions:

• Lateral augmentation of the zygomatic arch using supraorbital bone grafts demonstrates substantial early relapse.
• The procedure results in significant loss of the augmented width over 24 months.
• This suggests limited long-term stability for this specific zygomatic arch augmentation technique.