Tong-Nien HSU
Surgical navigation has become an increasingly valuable technology in oral and maxillofacial surgery, providing real-time spatial guidance by integrating preoperative imaging, virtual surgical planning, and intraoperative instrument tracking. Similar to a GPS system, navigation allows surgeons to continuously identify the position of surgical instruments in relation to the patient’s three-dimensional anatomy and the preoperative plan.
Its applications have expanded from anatomical localization to guidance, execution, and verification in various maxillofacial procedures, including trauma surgery, tumor resection, orthognathic surgery, and complex osteotomy. In maxillofacial trauma, navigation combined with intraoperative imaging enables objective assessment of fracture reduction, orbital reconstruction, and skeletal symmetry, allowing immediate correction when discrepancies are detected. Navigation-guided osteotomy further translates virtual surgical planning into real-time surgical execution by providing information on cutting position, orientation, and depth while helping surgeons avoid critical anatomical structures.
Despite limitations related to registration accuracy, anatomical movement, workflow complexity, and cost, surgical navigation continues to evolve beyond simply showing “where we are.” By connecting planning, guidance, verification, and intraoperative adaptation, navigation serves as a surgeon’s “third eye,” enhancing precision, confidence, and predictability in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
