Transposition of the mental nerve in orthognathic surgery.

Transposition of the mental nerve in association with orthognathic surgery was performed 25 times in 16 patients. Indications for transposition generally were use of the premolar region for surgical correction of anterior open bite or dentoalveolar prognathism. In one case, reduction of the mandibular base was the surgical indication. Postoperative hypesthesia occurred in 16 mental nerves but sensibility gradually returned to normal in almost all the patients at between six and 18 months. Partial nerve damage occurred accidentally in three cases with reduced sensibility at follow-up.