Timing of facial osteotomies

A concensus conference on the timing of facial osteotomies was held in Jönköping, Sweden. Seven teams consisting of a maxillofacial surgeon and an orthodontist representing five countries discussed treatment planning for young patients with maxillomandibular deformities with special emphasis on timing. Patients with severe syndromic facial deformities were not considered. Consensus was reached that for most deformities it is best advised to wait until growth has ceased, as determined by longitudinal cephalometric data. This rule is less tight for Angle Class II than for Class III cases. For asymmetries often there is still not enough scientific evidence to obtain well-founded uniform agreement.