NAVIGATION IN ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

Surgical navigation has been shown to be beneficial to the specialty of the OMF surgery. Significant advantages of this modality have been noted for the following cases: complex unilateral orbital wall fractures, comminated unilateral fractures of the lateral midface, bony tumours, bony reconstruction of complex 3-dimensional anatomy, and for removal of foreign bodies. Despite being a relatively new technology in OMF surgery and the high costs associated with its use, navigation is a tool that has been shown to improve surgical outcomes and reduce operating time. In addition, it has been shown to reduce radiation exposure to patients and the frequency of costly reoperations.