Analgesic requirements after orthognathic surgery.

Postoperative analgesic requirements of a series of 45 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery are presented. Of the first 25 patients treated before a minimal analgesic protocol was begun, 21 received narcotic medication for relief of discomfort. In the second group of 20 patients, five received mild analgesics and one received a narcotic. A combination of factors such as paresthesia, immobilization, premedication, steroids, and residual effects of general anesthetic agents probably contributed to the relative lack of severe pain after orthognathic surgery.