Application of Virtual Reality in Orthognathic Surgeries

Orthognathic Surgery, also known as corrective jaw surgery, needs planning before the surgery. Today, the planning is carried out using advanced software on the computer, however, the 2D display fails to provide the exact depth perception while planning such surgeries. Also, surgeons rely on the sense of the touch to make important decisions. The use of virtual reality and haptics technology in such planning process overcomes these shortcoming. This study analyzes the virtual planning process, as carried out currently, in detail to understand the each step in detail. After the process analysis, applications and future prospects of the virtual reality and haptics are discussed. The conclusion of the study is that the use of virtual reality and haptics in the planning process allows the surgeons to perform the surgery virtually a number of times which helps them to understand the complications of the surgery and be more confident to perform the surgery.