Three-Dimensional Computed Tomographic Reformation in Facial Skeletal Surgery: High Technology in Search of a Clinical Application?

Abstract

Are three-dimensional computed surface displays [1, 2], or 3D CT scans, going to revolutionize facial skeletal surgery overnight? Is this new technology going to completely alter the way we go about making diagnoses, planning operative procedures, and evaluating our results? Are our results going to be better because of this new technology? Or is this just another type of computer graphics game, in the genre of Star Wars or Space Invaders, which will provide dazzling images and hours of diversion for the craniofacial surgeon, who can even wear special glasses to see his images in true “stereoscopic” three dimensions [3], without substantially altering his approach to the planning, executions and evaluation of operative procedures?