Accelerated orthognathic surgery and increased orthodontic efficiency: a paradigm shift.

An explosion of technological advances has influnced the present and future treatment of virtually all rthognathic surgery and orthodontic patients. The fficiency, duration, affordability, and convenience of uch treatment will be changed forever. This JOMS ssue describes how a paradigm shift will take place y a global revolution of surgical education by virtual maging technology and robotic surgery. With excessive health care costs and long treatent times, the frequency of orthognathic surgery as declined dramatically. As a consequence, many acial deformity patients and malocclusions have gone ntreated, or have been treated inefficiently over a ong period of time at excessively high costs. These xisting economic forces and technological developents have forced the transition from hospital-based o outpatient surgery. With the use of new accelerated surgical orthodonic techniques, treatment can be accomplished more fficiently, predictably, affordably, and rapidly in conenient outpatient settings. All who read this special series will become a part f a paradigm shift in surgical orthodontics and will e forever changed in their approach to treatment of omplex or simple maxillofacial deformity patients nd malocclusions. We promise a memorable learning xperience. The reader will become familiar with the latest echniques and advances in surgical orthodontics. urgeons, orthodontists, periodontists, and any other nterdisciplinary team members interested in learning he latest innovations and advances in efficient and apid orthodontics coupled with outpatient surgery, ill find this special series new and challenging. Medical imaging, information-guided therapies, demnstration of workflow at work stations in a digital and ffice-based setting, virtual imaging for virtual splints nd in-office planning and treatment of maxillofacial eformities, electronic imaging and interdisciplinary lectronic communication are precisely described nd illustrated. s