Accuracy of Three-Dimensional Upper Airway Prediction in Orthognathic Patients Using Dolphin Three-Dimensional Software

Background: Orthodontists and surgeons have been looking for more accurate methods to predict surgical outcomes in patients with skeletal discrepancies. Methods: The sample consisted of 20 patients from the surgical clinic of a graduate orthodontic program who had been treated with Le Fort I maxillary movement, bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, with or without genioplasty. All patients had to have preoperative (T0) and at least 6 months postoperative (T1) cone-beam computed tomographies that were imported to Dolphin 3-dimensional (3D) software. The 3D voxel-based superimposition on the cranial base was performed for T0 and T1 to accurately measure the skeletal surgical movements. A virtual orthognathic surgery was performed on T0 to mimic the actual skeletal osteotomies using the treatment simulation tool in Dolphin 3D. A prediction 3D soft-tissue image (Tp) was generated based on the Dolphin virtual skeletal planning. The upper airway was segmented and exported as stereolithography surface files in both T1 and Tp. The measurements of the 3D volume of the airway were calculated and compared among T1 and Tp by using surface superimposition technique. Mean and standard deviations of upper airway volume were compared and correlated using paired t-test. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the upper airway volume of T1 and Tp. Conclusion: Dolphin 3D delivers accurate airway prediction which is an important step in 3D virtual planning.