Harald Essig, Prof. Dr. med. Dr. med. dent.
After studying medicine and dentistry at the universities of Greifswald, Munich and Kiel, Prof Dr Dr Harald Essig completed his specialist training as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Kiel and Hanover from 2005-2009. He was also recognised as a specialist dentist for oral surgery and obtained an additional qualification in plastic and aesthetic surgery. He habilitated in January 2014 at the Hannover Medical School with the topic ‘Use of virtual models for complex reconstructive oral and maxillofacial surgery’. He deepened his expertise in budget-oriented management, which is becoming increasingly important in the university medical sector, with a certificate programme in health economics at the University of St. Gallen. In 2016, he was rehabilitated at the University of Zurich and was awarded the title of professor in 2021. Since July 2020, Prof Essig has been interim Clinic Director of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University Hospital Zurich.
Topic: Comprehensive 3D Planning and Surgical Concept for Orthognathic Correction
Abstract
Orthognathic surgery increasingly relies on 3D planning to enhance diagnostic accuracy and surgical precision. This concept integrates virtual planning, surgical simulation, and patient-specific implants, with particular focus on facial asymmetries and cleft lip and palate cases. By uniting digital workflows with intraoperative execution, treatment becomes more predictable and individualized. The lecture concludes with a clinical algorithm that outlines decision-making and application of 3D planning in orthognathic correction.
Main Teaching Points
- Integration of 3D diagnostics and virtual planning into orthognathic workflows
- Application of surgical simulation for precise treatment strategies
- Use of patient-specific implants in complex cases
- Special considerations for facial asymmetries
- Digital concepts in cleft lip and palate corrections
- Workflow integration from planning to intraoperative execution
- Development of a clinical algorithm for reliable decision-making