Verification of nerve integrity after surgical intervention using quantitative sensory testing.

Area of Science:

• Oral surgery
• Neuroscience
• Sensory testing

Background:

• Oral surgery can potentially cause sensory alterations.
• Patients may not report subjective sensory disturbances.
• Objective assessment of trigeminal nerve function is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sensory changes after oral surgery using Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST).
• To determine the degree and duration of neuronal hyperexcitability post-surgery.
• To assess if QST can detect subclinical sensory alterations.

Main Methods:

• QST was applied to 60 patients undergoing oral surgery.
• Sensory functions were tested in infraorbital, mental, and lingual nerve areas.
• Testing occurred at 1, 4, 7, and 10 weeks post-operation, with controls included.

Main Results:

• No sensory differences were found between controls and patient control sides.
• QST revealed significant sensory deficits in mental and lingual regions, despite no reported symptoms.
• Reduced sensitivity to thermal stimuli and decreased pain pressure thresholds were observed on operated sides.

Conclusions:

• Oral surgery can induce subclinical sensory deficits in the mental and lingual regions.
• QST is a valuable tool for objectively assessing trigeminal nerve function post-surgery.
• QST can objectify clinical findings, particularly in forensic contexts.