Neurosensory changes of palatal mucousa following Le Fort I osteotomy

Abstract

• BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the sensation of palatal ucosa before and after Le Fort I osteotomy and compared it based on whether greater palatine nerve has been dissected or not.
• METHODS: Sixteen patients were studied within one week before  urgery and then one week, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. Four tests including sharp-blunt discrimination, cold perception, pin prick sensation and electrical stimulation were performed.
• RESULTS: Mean values of electrical stimulation were significantly higher 6 months after surgery (p < 0.05), on the other hand mean values of pin-prick sensation were significantly lower (p < 0.05). All patients regardless of the condition of greater palatine nerve were responsive to cold perception and sharp-blunt discrimination 6 months after surgery.
• CONCLUSIONS: Following Le Fort I osteotomy, palatal  esponsiveness to electrical stimulation decreases and mechanical hyper sensitization occurs. Dissection of greater palatine nerve was shown to have no effect on the results.
• KEYWORDS: Lefort I Osteotomy, Palatal Mocousa, Nerve Recovery.