The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical feasibility of preventing
tooth injury from anterior maxillary interdental
osteotomy by using a
surgical navigation technique. A retrospective review was conducted on
cleft lip and palate patients treated with anterior
maxillary osteotomy followed by
distraction osteogenesis between August 2019 and May 2022. Patients operated on through image guidance were enrolled in the navigation group, while those who were operated on freehand were enrolled in the freehand group.
Tooth injuries were identified on postoperative images. Linear and angular deviations of the
osteotomy line were measured. Twelve patients were enrolled in the study, seven in the navigation group and five in the freehand group. Altogether, 24
osteotomy lines and 53 adjacent teeth were evaluated. The dental injury rate was 3% in the navigation group and 27% in the freehand group (P = 0.016). The average linear deviations (mean ± standard deviation) were 0.67 ± 0.30 mm and 2.05 ± 1.33 mm, respectively (P < 0.001), while the average angular deviations were 1.67 ± 0.68° and 11.41 ± 7.46°, respectively (P < 0.001). The results suggest that navigation was able to reduce the
tooth injury risk compared with freehand interdental
osteotomies in crowded dental arches.