Risk factors of neurosensory deficits in lower third molar surgery: a literature review of prospective studies

Abstract

I have read with great interest the article “Risk factors of neurosensory deficits in lower third molar surgery: a literature review of prospective studies” by Leung & Cheung1 Leung Y.Y. Cheung L.K. Risk factors of neurosensory deficits in lower third molar surgery: an literature review of prospective studies. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2011; 40: 1-10 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (48) Google Scholar . It offers a great deal of valuable information about this sort of complications. However, there are two objections I would like to make.First, as co-author of some of the cited papers, I did not understand why reference n°120 2 Valmaseda-Castellón E. Berini-Aytés L. Gay-Escoda C. Lingual nerve damage after third lower molar surgical extraction. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2000; 90: 567-573 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (94) Google Scholar was excluded, whilst reference n°121 3 Valmaseda-Castellón E. Berini-Aytés L. Gay-Escoda C. Inferior alveolar nerve damage after lower third molar surgical extraction: a prospective study of 1117 surgical extractions. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2001; 92: 377-383 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (219) Google Scholar was included. Both articles met the selection criteria, as methodology was the same, the only difference being that the excluded paper dealt with lingual nerve disturbances, and the included one with the inferior alveolar nerve. Anyway, this exclusion probably had little effects on the results.