D. Gulicher et Kl. Gerlach, Sensory impairment of the lingual and inferior alveolar nerves following removal of impacted mandibular third molars, INT J OR M, 30(4), 2001, pp. 306-312
Citations number
34
Categorie Soggetti
Dentistry/Oral Surgery & Medicine
Journal title
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY
In a prospective study 1106 impacted mandibular third molars were removed f
rom 687 patients. Clinical, radiographic, and surgical factors were recorde
d. Postoperatively, we examined the modalities of common sensation in order
to assess sensory deficit. The patients were followed up, until complete r
estitution occurred, or, if the sensibility failed to recover, for at least
6 months. A total of 3.6% of the operated sides demonstrated impairment of
labial sensation, and 2.1% of lingual sensation. The vast majority of thes
e disturbances subsided completely during the follow-up period. The inciden
ce of persisting sensory diminution after 6 months was 0.91% for the inferi
or alveolar, and 0.37% for the lingual nerve. However, the degree of the pe
rsisting deficit was slight in most instances. The relationship between the
recorded factors and the alteration of sensation was analysed by using the
chi (2) test. For the inferior alveolar nerve we found the patient's age,
the development of the roots, the degree of impaction, and the radiographic
position of the nerve canal to be significantly correlated to sensory defi
cit, as well as the surgical procedures in the depth of the socket and the
intraoperative opening of the mandibular canal. As far as the lingual nerve
is concerned, general anaesthesia and the individual operator were the mai
n factors predictive of nerve damage.