What is the role of soft tissue thickness variations in correcting facial asymmetry after orthognathic surgery?

In many patients, asymmetry in the jawbones (for example, a crooked lower jaw to one side) leads to asymmetrical development of facial muscles and fat tissue in that area; the soft tissues on the underdeveloped side of the jaw are usually thicker and tighter, while those on the overdeveloped side are thinner. Even if the surgeon corrects the bone asymmetry 100% by aligning the bone segments precisely in the mid-sagittal plane during surgery, a slight asymmetry may still be perceived externally immediately after the operation due to differences in soft tissue thickness in the outer skin of the face. This should be explained to the patient in detail before the operation, and it should be stated that if soft tissue-related asymmetry is still noticeable after waiting 6-12 months for bone healing and complete resolution of edema, facial symmetry can be perfected with microstructural fat grafts (fat injections) or masseter muscle modifications.