Recovery of sensation after orthognathic treatment: Patients' perspective

Introduction: In this study, we considered patients' self-assessments to establish the recovery of sensory disturbance and the resultant distress over a 6-month postoperative recovery period after orthognathic surgery. Methods: A prospective longitudinal cohort questionnaire survey recruited 47 consecutive patients who met the study criteria (16 years of age or over; single jaw or bimaxillary surgery). A questionnaire to measure perceived facial and oral sensory loss was sent to the participants at 1 week, 6 weeks, and 6 months postsurgery. Results: Thirty-one participants (66%) completed the first questionnaire, and 26 (55%) completed all 3 assessments. The total sample comprised 14 male and 17 female subjects with a mean age of 21.2 years (SD, 4.93 years). There was a marked reduction in the proportion reporting sensory impairment at the 26-week point for both sites, although more so intraorally. At all 3 times, there were high correlations between the extent of sensory loss and the distress associated with it. Conclusions: Change in sensation occurs rapidly in the first 6 weeks postoperatively and more slowly thereafter. The distress caused by sensory loss is strongly related to the amount of sensory disturbance for both the face and the mouth.