Af. Fielding et al., LINGUAL NERVE PARESTHESIA FOLLOWING 3RD MOLAR SURGERY - A RETROSPECTIVE CLINICAL-STUDY, Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology and endodontics, 84(4), 1997, pp. 345-348
Lingual nerve anesthesia, paresthesia, and dysesthesia are possible si
de effects of third molar extraction. These unwanted complications are
frequently disturbing to both the patient and practitioner. The incid
ence of lingual nerve damage following third molar surgery is more fre
quent than once thought. Six hundred questionnaires were sent to rando
mly selected Fellows of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofa
cial Surgeons in 50 states to determine the parameters surrounding thi
s phenomenon. Of the 452 respondents, 76.05% reported having had patie
nts with lingual anesthesia, dysesthesia, or paresthesia. Of all the r
eported cases, 18.64% of the cases failed to resolve. Of the reported
cases, only three underwent surgical intervention. Because many cases
of lingual nerve dysfunction do not resolve, it is important to inform
patients that microsurgical nerve repair techniques are available as
a modality of treatment following diagnosis. It has also been recommen
ded that if the paresthesia does not resolve within 10 to 12 weeks, th
en management options including microsurgical nerve reconstruction wit
hin a short period of time should be discussed as a plan with the pati
ent.