A Le Fort osteotomy is the name for three types of
osteotomies of the jaw and face. They are based on
the
analogous bone fractures described by the French surgeon and physician
René Le Fort.
Type I
A Le Fort I osteotomy surgically moves the upper jaw to correct misalignment and deformities. It is used in the treatment for several conditions, including skeletal
class II malocclusion,
cleft lip and cleft palate
A cleft lip contains an opening in the upper lip that may extend into the nose. The opening may be on one side, both sides, or in the middle. A cleft palate occurs when the palate (the roof of the mouth) contains an opening into the nose. The ...
,
vertical maxillary excess (VME) or deficiency, and some specific types of
facial trauma
Facial trauma, also called maxillofacial trauma, is any physical trauma to the face. Facial trauma can involve soft tissue injury, soft tissue injuries such as burns, lacerations and bruises, or bone fracture, fractures of the facial bones such ...
, particularly those affecting the mid-face. The procedure involves separating the upper jaw, repositioning it, and then securing it with plates and screws.
Type II
The Le Fort II osteotomy treats maxillary fractures.
Type III
The Le Fort III osteotomy treats midfacial abnormalities and deficiencies.
Additional types
"Le Fort IV" has been used to describe a monobloc frontofacial osteotomy in 2000s French literature, but the use is heavily disputed. In 2014, the same term was used by a Japanese group to describe a "monobloc minus Le Fort I" osteotomy.
References
{{Portal, Medicine
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Jaw surgery