Minimal Invasive Surgery of the Mandible

Mandibular orthognathic surgery is aimed to correct the dental occlusion and reconstruct the lower facial anatomy. Various surgical techniques are in use to split the tooth-bearing from the joint-bearing segments. Minimal invasive surgical protocols are invented in nearly all surgical specialities to reduce treatment time, make the surgery less burdensome for the patient and aim to minimize complications. The short oblique osteotomy (SOO) of the mandible combines a minimal invasive surgical approach with the geometrical and biomechanical benefit of an undisturbed temporomandibular joint (TMJ) position. The chapter describes the rationale behind this technique as well as the technical and surgical details to perform such an operation.