ENDOSSEOUS IMPLANT PLACEMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH INFERIOR ALVEOLAR NERVE TRANSPOSITION - AN EVALUATION OF NEUROSENSORY DISTURBANCE

This retrospective study evaluated neurosensory dysfunction and the im plant success rate associated with 64 implants placed in 15 patients f ollowing transposition of the inferior alveolar nerve. A total of 21 i nferior alveolar nerve mobilization surgeries were performed. The mean postoperative follow-up time was 41.3 months, with a range of 10 to 6 7 months. The effects of surgical technique and implant surface geomet ry on neurosensory dysfunction were evaluated by using light touch, br ush stroke direction, and two-point discrimination. The implant succes s rate was 93.8% (60/64). The surgical technique that involved detachi ng the mental foramen resulted in a significantly greater incidence of neurosensory disturbance (77.8%, 7/9) than did the technique that lef t the bony foramen intact (33.3%, 4/12). The overall incidence of neur osensory disturbance was 52.4% (11/21).