Piezosurgery for Sagittal Split Osteotomy: Procedure Duration and Postoperative Sensory Perturbation

Purpose To evaluate piezosurgery for bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) for its duration and inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) perturbation. Patients and Methods In this prospective randomized study, the authors evaluated 100 BSSO procedures in 50 patients. Piezoelectric (group I) and conventional (group II) osteotomies were carried out on each side of the mandible of a patient by 2 specialists. The surgeons had at least 1 year of experience using piezosurgery. The period from incision to complete splitting of the mandibular bone was recorded (ie, procedure duration). The intraoperative status (visibility and relocation) of the IAN also was recorded. The neurosensory function of the IAN was measured by the 2-point discrimination threshold and static light touch methods before surgery and postoperatively (1, 3, and 6 weeks and 6 and 12 months). Parameters were compared between the test groups by the paired t , nonparametric Wilcoxon, or χ 2 test. Results Intergroup comparison showed the mean duration of osteotomy was significantly shorter for group I (17 ± 6 vs 25 ± 9 minutes; P Conclusion Piezoelectric osteotomy requires considerably less time than conventional mechanical approaches, but shows no advantage in preventing neurosensory perturbation.