Neurosensory changes of palatal mucousa following Le Fort I osteotomy

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the sensation of palatal mucosa 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 surgery 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 responsiveness to electrical stimulation decreases and mechanical hyper sensitization occurs. Dissection of greater palatine nerve was shown to have no effect on the results.