Sensory retraining after orthognathic surgery: effect on patient report of altered sensations.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this analysis was to determine whether, over a 2-year period after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, patients who received facial sensory-retraining exercises with standard opening exercises in the first 6 months after surgery were as likely to report an alteration in facial sensation as those who received standard opening exercises only.


METHODS
186 subjects were enrolled in a multi-center, double-blind, stratified-block, randomized clinical trial with 2 parallel groups. Patient reports of altered sensations were obtained before surgery, and 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. A marginal model was fit to examine the effect of sensory retraining while controlling for potential explanatory effects related to demographic, psychological, and clinical factors on the odds of postoperative altered sensations being reported.


RESULTS
Age (P <0.0001) and severity of presurgical psychological distress (P <0.0001) were significantly associated with the presence of altered sensations after controlling for the exercise training received. After controlling for age and psychological distress, patients who received opening exercises only were approximately 2.2 times more likely to report postoperative altered sensations than those who also received sensory-retraining exercises (P <0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that a simple noninvasive exercise program started shortly after orthognathic surgery can lessen the likelihood that a patient will report altered sensations in the long term after orthognathic surgery.
Phillips
Ceib
C
Department of Orthodontics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. ceib_phillips@dentistry.unc.edu
Kim
Se Hee
SH
Essick
Greg
G
Tucker
Myron
M
Turvey
Timothy A
TA
D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D020209:Cranial Nerve Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D014110:Touch; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D061221:Trigeminal Nerve Injuries