Purpose: The aim of the present paper is to assess the incidence of Neurosensory Disturbances (NSD) of the Inferior Alveolar Nerve (IAN) after the Intraoral Verticosagittal Ramus Osteotomy (IVSRO), through subjective and objective methods.

Materials and methods: The sensibility of the chin and lower lip of ten consecutive patients undergoing IVSRO for the correction of mandibular deformities was assessed. Evaluations were performed at 7 days preoperatively, 7 days, one month and six months postoperatively. The chin of the patients was divided into four quadrants, which were tested separately. The tests used were: Two Points Discrimination (TPD), Brush Stroke Direction Discrimination (BSD) and Thermal Discrimination (TD). At the postoperative evaluations, the patients also answered a questionnaire.

Results: The values for TPD showed statistically significant difference when compared to pre-operative measurements ( p > 0.05). In all quadrants, with exception to quadrant D , where no difference was found, the values pre-operatively, 7 days, 1 month and 6 months post-operatively showed no statistically significant difference after statistical analysis ( p > 0.05). For BSD and TD tests, no differences were found among the pre-operative, 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months evaluations ( p > 0.05). None of the 10 patients reported complete numbness after 1 week. After 6 months, complete recovery of the chin sensibility was reported in all 10 cases.

Conclusion: This study showed, objectively and subjectively, the low incidence of NSD of IVSRO. Further studies with larger samples are necessary to confirm these results.

Conflict of interest: None declared.