Impact of Clinical Expertise on Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block Anaesthesia Resulting in Transient Facial Nerve Palsy; A Cross-sectional Study Amid Pakistani Dental Graduates

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the study is to observe the impact of clinical expertise on inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) anaesthesia resulting in transient facial nerve palsy (FNP) in dental operators having different levels of clinical experience. Methodology: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Dentistry, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center. The study was conducted over a period of six months, starting from September 2021 and lasting till February 2022. The patients who required IANB for any dental treatment in lower posterior teeth were divided into three groups between dental operators: Undergraduates (Interns), Graduates (House Officers), and Postgraduate trainees, having 100 cases in each group. A structured questionnaire was administered through convenience sampling to dental operators. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 24. Results: A total of 300 cases were part of the study. According to the results, 28% (n=84) of patients suffered from transient facial nerve palsy following IANB. Out of this 84%, 15% (n=45 of total cases) were by Undergraduates (Interns), 10% (n=30 of total cases) were caused by Graduates (Interns), and only 3% (n=9 of total) incidences happened following IANB by Postgraduate trainees. Conclusions: The incidence of IANB-related facial nerve palsy (FNP) is comparatively more in junior dental operators, which depicts their lack of clinical experience.