Inferior alveolar nerve function after sagittal split osteotomy by reciprocating saw or piezosurgery instrument: prospective double-blinded study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this prospective study was to objectively evaluate inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) sensory disturbances in patients who underwent sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) by comparing 1 side treated with a reciprocating saw with the other side treated with a piezosurgery device.


METHODS
Clinical evaluation of IAN sensory disturbance was undertaken preoperatively and at 1 week, 4 weeks, 2 months, and 6 months postoperatively in 20 patients who underwent SSRO at the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Araraquara Dental School, São Paulo State University. The 20 patients were examined at all periods for IAN functionality by Semmes-Weinstein testing; neither the patients nor the examiner knew which side was treated using piezosurgery or a reciprocating saw.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 28.4 years (range, 20 to 48 yr). Before surgery, no patient had impaired function of the IAN in any of the 8 zones in the mental and inferior lip areas. All patients reported feeling the first monofilament at the time of the preoperative test. Seven days postoperatively, all patients reported some kind of altered sensitivity in at least 1 zone evaluated.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest there was no statistically significant difference in the sensitivity of the labiomental area regarding the instrument used to perform the osteotomy. Future studies will focus on enlarging the sample and evaluating the results.
Volunteer Professor, Araraquara Dental School, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: monnazzi@hotmail.com.
Marcelo Silva
MS
Monnazzi
Professor, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Araraquara Dental School, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
Mario Francisco
MF
Real Gabrielli
Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Luis Augusto
LA
Passeri
Assistant Professor, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Araraquara Dental School, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
Marisa Aparecida
MA
Cabrini Gabrielli
PhD student at Aarthus University, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Rubens
R
Spin-Neto
Assistant Professor, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Araraquara Dental School, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
Valfrido Antonio
VA
Pereira-Filho
D000328:Adult; D002680:Chin / Q000294:innervation; D004056:Differential Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000294:innervation; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D059229:Osteotomy, Sagittal Split Ramus / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D059745:Piezosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult