Sensibility following sagittal split osteotomy in the mandible: a prospective clinical study

Bilateral sagittal split osteotomy may be associated with postoperative sensory deficiency in the area innervated by the inferior alveolar nerve. The aim of this study was to assess the neurosensory response of the inferior alveolar nerve after such surgery. Fifty consecutive patients receiving mandibular setback or advancement were investigated. Four different neurosensory tests were used: light touch, pin prick, static two-point discrimination, and vibration thresholds. These tests were performed preoperatively, 2 days, as well as 3 months and 12 months postoperatively. The methodologic error was found negligible. The pin prick and light touch tests as well as vibratory thresholds often disclosed a short period of decreased local sensibility, whereas static two-point discrimination displayed a slightly more extended postoperative sensory reduction. The patients did not experience any practical problems or essential drawbacks postoperatively. The only variable significantly associated with neurosensory disturbance was age. In conclusion, bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, when properly performed, must be considered a safe and reliable surgical technique, even from a neurosensory point of view.