Duration of orthodontic treatment involving orthognathic surgery

The purpose of this study was to analyze factors influencing the duration of treatment in a sample of patients treated by a combined orthodontic/orthognathic surgery approach. Presurgical and postsurgical treatment times were assessed for 315 patients processed through an orthognathic team over a 7-year period. The median total treatment duration for all patients was 21.9 months, the median presurgical duration was 15.4 months, and the median postsurgical duration was 5.9 months. Treatment involving extractions resulted in significantly increased presurgical and total treatment times. Treatments performed in the university clinic showed reduced presurgical duration and increased postsurgical duration compared to treatments carried out by specialists outside the university. Presurgical, postsurgical, and total treatment times were significantly reduced when the orthodontist had treated 10 or more patients during the period. An earlier regimen of orthodontic treatment did not appear to have a significant effect on treatment duration.