Effect of Le Fort I osteotomy on maxillary tooth-type-related pulpal blood-flow characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
Laser Doppler flowmetry is a noninvasive method of assessing pulpal blood-flow (PBF) to document pulpal vitality. Maxillary osteotomies have been associated with segment-related decreases in local PBF. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a Le Fort I osteotomy on tooth-type-related PBF values.


METHODS
Maxillary incisors, canines, and premolars were investigated bilaterally by laser Doppler flowmetry in 14 volunteers to assess local PBF values before and after surgery. Perfusion units were taken in 3 sessions: on the day before surgery (time since osteotomy ¿TSO 0) and at 4 days (TSO I) and 56 days (TSO II) after osteotomy.


RESULTS
Analysis of TSO-related PBF measurements revealed a significant difference between TSO 0 and TSO II for the first premolar and between TSO 0 and TSO I and II for the overall tooth-type-related values.


CONCLUSIONS
The main findings of this study indicated Le Fort I osteotomy to be associated with a short-term and long-term decrease in maxillary PBF values.
Emshoff
R
R
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Innsbruck, Austria. Maxillofaziale-Chirurgie@uibk.ac.at
Kranewitter
R
R
Norer
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002138:Calibration; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013997:Time Factors