Virtual planning in orthognathic surgery among Swedish maxillofacial surgeons: a retrospective register-based cohort study

PURPOSE: The integration of virtual surgical planning (VSP) into orthognathic surgery has improved preoperative visualization, surgical precision, and patient-specific outcomes. However, limited information is available regarding the utilization of VSP in Swedish maxillofacial clinics. This study primarily aimed to provide statistical analysis and descriptive statistics on orthognathic surgical parameters in Sweden between 2017 and 2024 and focused on comparing utilization between VSP and conventional surgical planning (CSP). METHODS: In this retrospective register-based cohort study, statistical analyses were carried out using anonymized data from 2 386 non-syndrome associated patients registered in the Swedish National Registry for Orthognathic Surgery during the years 2017 to 2024. RESULTS: The use of VSP among Swedish oral and maxillofacial surgeons significantly increased during the study period. A significant difference was found (p < 0.001) between VSP and CSP regarding surgery type, intraoperative blood loss for bimaxillary surgery, and surgery time for bimaxillary surgery. VSP is predominantly used in bimaxillary surgery, whereas CSP is more commonly used in single-jaw surgery. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrate a significant increase in the adoption of VSP among Swedish maxillofacial surgical units between 2017 and 2024, particularly in planning bimaxillary surgeries compared to single-jaw surgeries. In addition, VSP may reduce intraoperative bleeding and shorten surgery time in bimaxillary surgeries compared with CSP.