Neurosensory changes of palatal mucousa following Le Fort I osteotomy

Abstract

<ul><li><strong>BACKGROUND</strong>: 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.</li><li><strong>METHODS</strong>: Sixteen patients were studied within one week before&nbsp; 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.</li><li><strong>RESULTS</strong>: Mean values of electrical stimulation were significantly higher 6 months after surgery (p &lt; 0.05), on the other hand mean values of pin-prick sensation were significantly lower (p &lt; 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.</li><li><strong>CONCLUSIONS</strong>: Following Le Fort I osteotomy, palatal&nbsp; esponsiveness to electrical stimulation decreases and mechanical hyper sensitization occurs. Dissection of greater palatine nerve was shown to have no effect on the results.</li><li><strong>KEYWORDS</strong>: Lefort I Osteotomy, Palatal Mocousa, Nerve Recovery.</li></ul>

Keywords

• Lefort I Osteotomy, Palatal Mocousa, Nerve Recovery.