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Carmen
Facial diagnosis
- Receding upper jaw
- Too narrow upper jaw
Dental diagnosis
- Class III
Treatment jaw surgery
- Advancement upper jaw (Le Fort I)
- Chin surgery (Sliding genioplasty)
- Widening upper jaw (Smile distractor)
About this case
Carmen has a nice complexion but her face is slightly dished-in. The upper jaw did not grow appropriately in the transversal and antero-posterior dimension. Dr Defrancq proposed to show her the amazing power of the surgical rapid palatal expansion by means of the smile distractor (Titamed).
During the orthognathic surgery (second surgical procedure) Dr Defrancq performed the Le Fort I advancement. For the flow of the face Dr Defrancq added the chin surgery as well (genioplasty advancement vertical reduction). The outcome of the combined surgical orthodontic treatment was most rewarding, and Carmen was delighted by the final aesthetic result. Also the bite ended up in a nice functional Class I relationship.
Note from the surgeon: The smile distractor is a device developed by Dr Defrancq himself. The purpose was to develop a device that was simple to place and to handle but, just as important, was to develop a device that was perfectly hygienic, smooth and with minimal dimensions. This was judged a necessity since the device has to stay non-disturbingly on the palate for 4 to 6 months.
During the orthognathic surgery (second surgical procedure) Dr Defrancq performed the Le Fort I advancement. For the flow of the face Dr Defrancq added the chin surgery as well (genioplasty advancement vertical reduction). The outcome of the combined surgical orthodontic treatment was most rewarding, and Carmen was delighted by the final aesthetic result. Also the bite ended up in a nice functional Class I relationship.
Note from the surgeon: The smile distractor is a device developed by Dr Defrancq himself. The purpose was to develop a device that was simple to place and to handle but, just as important, was to develop a device that was perfectly hygienic, smooth and with minimal dimensions. This was judged a necessity since the device has to stay non-disturbingly on the palate for 4 to 6 months.
