Guidelines for a surgery-first approach using Dolphin Imaging software and the Invisalign system

Abstract

Recent technological innovations allow for the integration of clear aligner therapy (CAT) with orthognathic surgical procedures, making the surgery-first orthognathic approach a reality. Combining CAT with this surgery-first strategy offers a compelling solution for both patients and orthodontists seeking a faster and less visible treatment. Although the combination of CAT and surgery-first orthognathic approach presents potential advantages for practitioners in orthognathic surgery, it also introduces new challenges. A significant obstacle is the effective transfer of the virtual surgical planned occlusion and jaw relations into the aligner software to allow for aligner manufacturing before surgery. To date, no protocol has described effective transfers of the virtual surgical plan to the CAT software. This article presents a novel method for this transfer, using the freely available software (Meshmixer, version 3.5; Autodesk, Armonk, NY) in 2 patient scenarios.