Orthognathic surgery and pulpal blood flow: a pilot study using laser Doppler flowmetry.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of Le Fort I osteotomy on pulpal circulation. A laser Doppler flowmeter was used to measure pulpal blood flow of maxillary right and left central incisors and a randomly selected mandibular canine in 14 volunteers prior to surgery and at various intervals during the 6 months following surgery. Custom-made splints allowed accurate and reproducible positioning of the measurement probe. The data showed a significant reduction in vascular supply at the final observation. However, a high variability of individual blood flow patterns was found. In some patients, transient periods of ischemia were observed shortly after surgery. Also, numerous teeth demonstrated hyperemia at later intervals. One patient developed discoloration of a central incisor, and another lost marginal periodontal support around both central incisors. However, in none of the 14 subjects was pulpal blood flow found to be absent following surgery.