RESUMO
PURPOSE: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effect of corticosteroid (CS) administration on edema and neural regeneration in orthognathic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed (Medline), Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases. The PICO approach was used, in which patients with skeletal dentofacial deformity composed the population; uni- or bimaxillary orthognathic surgery composed the intervention; administration versus no administration of CSs composed the comparison; and decrease in postoperative edema and neurosensory disorders composed the outcome. Thirty of 240 articles were selected and evaluated for their titles and abstracts in relation to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After duplicate references were eliminated, 8 articles remained. RESULTS: Patients who used CSs had lower rates of edema. In fact, after 4 months, there were no remarkable edema rates. These results suggest that neurosensory disorders resolved after 3 months. In addition, in the early and late periods, administration of CSs did not influence the regression of neurosensory disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Administering CSs in orthognathic surgery improved the regression of facial edema independent of the dosage used but did not influence neurosensory disorders.