Risk Factors Affecting Somatosensory Function After Sagittal Split Osteotomy

Thygesen, Torben H.; Bardow, Allan; Helleberg, Malene; Norholt, Sven Erik; Jensen, John; Svensson, Peter

doi:10.1016/j.joms.2007.06.666

« Previous Next »Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Volume 66, Issue 3 , Pages 469-474, March 2008

Risk Factors Affecting Somatosensory Function After Sagittal Split Osteotomy

Torben H. Thygesen, DDS
- Consultant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital and Department of Clinical Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Thygesen: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
Allan Bardow, DDS, PhD
- Associate Professor, Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Malene Helleberg, DDS
- Consultant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Sven Erik Norholt, DDS, PhD
- Consultant, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
John Jensen, DDS, PhD
- Consultant and Chairman, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Peter Svensson, PhD, Dr Odont
- Professor and Chairman, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital and Department of Clinical Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate potential individual and intraoperative risk factors associated with bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) and to correlate the findings with postoperative changes in somatosensory function.

Patients and Methods

A total of 18 men and 29 women (mean age, 31 ± 10 years) scheduled for BSSO participated in 1 session before BSSO and 5 sessions after BSSO (at 2 and 14 days and 3, 6, and 12 months). At each session, subjective oral sensation was scored and quantitative sensory tests were performed.

Results

The results showed that complete exposure and free dissection of the inferior alveolar nerve during BSSO increased self-reported changes in lower lip sensation and lower lip tactile threshold after BSSO (P < .01). Long surgical movements reduced self-perceived jaw-opening function and impaired 2-point discrimination (P < .05). Significant correlations were noted between preoperative values for somatosensory function and changes in these variables after BSSO. Patients with low sensory thresholds before BSSO experienced more impairment than those patients with higher preoperative sensory thresholds.