The influence of prognathism surgery on the width and the length of the lower third of the face.

The width and the length of the face in frontal view as important factors in facial harmony are analysed. Two groups of patients with mandibular prognathism were photographed, analysed and evaluated. The lower third of the face generally becomes shorter after a sagittal splitting operation as well as after a sagittal splitting plus additional medial ostectomy of the lower incisor region. In both groups we did not find a significant change in the width of the face. The impression of broadening the face by the sagittal splitting method is therefore subjective. In both groups, the face became more harmonious indimension following the osteotomies.