Number1Greycel
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(ChatGPT didn't make this it just formatted it for me)- Disclaimer
- Introduction
- BSSO
- Genioplasty
- Nerves
- Effects of Nerve Damage
- Risk Factors
- Recovery Timeline
- Sources
DISCLAIMER
DISCLAIMER: THIS THREAD IS NOT MADE TO PUSH YOU AWAY FROM SURGERY RATHER TO EDUCATE YOU ON THE POSSIBLE RISKS
Also some different studies show different nerve damage rates because they measure things differently this is just off what I could find so dont believe this fully!
INTRODUCTION
After rotting on this site for a while I’ve realised there aren’t many threads about the risk of nerve damage from surgery (specially lower jaw surgery)
BSSO
First off you need to know the 2 main lower jaw surgery’s BSSO (Bilateral Sagittal Split Osteotomy) and Genioplasty (Won’t be talking about Chin wing)
Is a procedure that repositions the entire lower jaw (mandible) it splits it into 2 segments and moves one forward or backward in order to fix jaw alignment and bite
GENIOPLASTY
Is a procedure that reshapes the chin by cutting a segment of the chin bone and moving it usually forward and sometimes down in order to improve chin projection and height
NERVES
Within a genioplasty the mental nerve is the most commonly affected nerve, damage to the mental nerve which is branch of the inferior alveolar nerve can result in changes to sensation in the lower lip and chin
Whilst for the BSSO the nerve that is most likely to be affected is the inferior alveolar nerve which affects the chin and lip but also the gums.
EFFECTS OF NERVE DAMAGE
Here are some things nerve damage can cause:
-Can cause kissing to feel strange
-Reduces awareness of food on chin and lower lip
-Can cause sensitivity during shaving or when being touched
-Can create a feeling of tape on the chin
-Causes small spots on the chin to lack sensation/feeling
Most of these problems will go away a couple months after surgery however if you are the unlucky few you may never be able to fully recover 100% of the feeling
RISK FACTORS
Things that cause a higher chance of nerve damage during surgery include:
-more movement = more stretching of the nerve
-experience of the surgeon <----- ESPECIALLY THIS
-nerve location
-age
-doing multiple procedures (BSSO then genio)
RECOVERY TIMELINE
How long does it take to recover from?
For BSSO 73.3%+ are likely after the operation to have some type of NSD ( neurosensory disturbance) however most will regain 90%+ of sensation back within the 6-12 months with most of it coming back even earlier however an unlucky 6.7% - 21% of people will not gain all of their sensation back, they may only gain say 50%-70% of their sensation back or may have to wait even longer to gain back full sensation
For genioplasty on the other hand the chance of NSD is a lot less ranging from 40%-70% immediately after surgery and then following 12 months after the surgery the chance of persistent NSD is 1.7% according to this study
SOURCES
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8612779/
https://journals.lww.com/jpbs/fulltext/2025/06002/evaluation_of_the_risks_of_facial_nerve_damage_in.59.aspx#:~:text=Of the 120 patients, 15,resolved spontaneously within 3 months.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40983111/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0266435623001869
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8612779/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4523587/
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