BackgroundWe evaluated change in the mandibular condyle after orthognathic surgery using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in patients with facial asymmetry.MethodsThirty patients with skeletal class III malocclusion and mandibular prognathism or facial asymmetry were classified into two groups according to the amount of menton deviation (MD) from the facial midline on anteroposterior (AP) cephalogram: group A (asymmetry, MD ≥ 4 mm; n = 15) and group B (symmetry, MD < 4 mm; n = 15). Position and angle of condylar heads on the axial, sagittal, and coronal views were measured within 1 month preoperatively (T0) and postoperatively (T1) and 6 months (T2) postoperatively.ResultsOn axial view, both groups showed inward rotation of condylar heads at T1, but at T2, the change was gradually removed and the condylar head returned to its original position. At T1, both groups showed no AP condylar head changes on sagittal view, although downward movement of the condylar heads occurred. Then, at T2, the condylar heads tended to return to their original position. The change in distance between the two condylar heads showed that they had moved outward in both groups, causing an increase in the width between the two heads postoperatively. Analysis of all three-dimensional changes of the condylar head positions demonstrated statistically significant changes in the three different CBCT views in group B and no statistically significant changes in group A.ConclusionsThere was no significant difference between the two groups in condylar head position. Because sagittal split ramus osteotomy can be performed without significant change in symmetrical and asymmetrical cases, it can be regarded as an effective method to stabilize the condylar head position in patients with skeletal class III malocclusion and mandibular prognathism or facial asymmetry.

Osteochondroma is a benign neoplasm, osseous projection surrounded with cartilage, 35.8% of benign osseous tumor, 8.5% of whole osseous tumor and usually arises from the skeletal bone. Osteochondroma is a cartilaginous derivation and relatively uncommon in the craniofacial bone. Osteochondroma of the mandible has slow growth rates which mainly affect women around forty years of age and it can appear through the coronoid process and mandibular condyle, especially in the medial half. Clinical finding associated with osteochondroma of condyle are primarily a palpable, painless temporomandibular area mass with facial asymmetry, malocclusion and midline deviations. Sometimes pain and dysfunction like trismus often accompany the anatomic derangement. Other features include malocclusion with open-bite on the affected side and cross-bite on the contralateral side. In this study, a 45-years old female patient exhibits pain on the left temporo-mandibular joint area and malocclusion due to loss of the molar region with osteochondroma on the top left of her mandibular condyle head. The patient is able to recover gradually from the symptom through treatments on manipulation, stabilization splint, arthroscopic lavage and surgical excision, thus, this is reported as a clinical case.