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 comparedit 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 6months after surgery. four tests including sharp-blunt discrimination, cold perception, pin prick sensation and electricalstimulation 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 ofgreater 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.