Analysis of postsurgical neurologic alteration in the trigeminal nerve.

Neurologic alteration in 36 patients who had received either a sagittal split osteotomy, an intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy, or a mandibular vestibuloplasty was evaluated by questionnaire, detailed neurosensory examination, and personality testing. Subjective sensory alteration was reported by 69.4% of the entire group; neurosensory examination showed demonstrable neuropathy in 54% of the 72 nerve divisions that were examined, with the greatest incidence, 84.6%, in the group that had received sagittal split osteotomies. Personality testing indicated that dysesthetic patients experienced greater degrees of neuroticism and depression than did patients without pain.