Inferior Alveolar Nerve Paresthesia Research Articles

Adjunctive Effect of Photobiomodulation Therapy with Nd:YAG Laser in the Treatment of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Paresthesia.

Background: Disruption of peripheral branches of the trigeminal nerve in the field of maxillofacial surgery is a known risk due to the close connection of these branches with the bony structures of the maxilla and mandible. As a result, injuries of the lingual nerve and inferior alveolar nerve take place within routine maxillofacial surgery procedures, including local anesthetic injection, wisdom tooth surgery, and dental implant placement, resulting in paresthesia and dysesthesia. During the last three decades, low-level lasers (LLL) have been frequently used in various medical fields. Lately, this application has increased in several sectors. Methods and materials: This experiment was designed to explore the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with Nd:YAG on the paresthesia and dysesthesia of the lower lip. This ethics committee of Tbzmed, Tabriz, Iran, proved the present experiment with ethical code: IR.TBZMED.REC.1401.839. Results: After completing 10 sessions of laser therapy for the case group consisting of 25 patients with lower lip anesthesia, the visual analog scale index results revealed that following six sessions of laser therapy, a significant difference appeared in contrast to the control group. Also, according to the two-point tests, significant difference among the experimental and the control group appeared after ninth session of the laser therapy. Conclusions: Altogether, these data suggested LLLT with Nd:YAG as an effective treatment option for decreasing the anesthesia of the lower lip.

Inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia of endodontic origin: diagnosis and follow-up using Cone-beam computed tomography

Oral paresthesias are usually associated with pathological conditions and surgical procedures on teeth adjacent to the mandibular canal. The most affected nerve is the inferior alveolar nerve. This clinical case reported a paresthesia of endodontic origin with remission after endodontic treatment. Initially, a patient reported severe pain in tooth 45. After 2 days, sensory disturbances were observed, characterized by numbness in the lower lip and right hemimandible. Thirty days after treatment, the patient reported sudden regression of this condition, days before the evaluation. After 10 and 15 months, follow-up CBCT scans were performed and revealed areas of bone neofomation in the region of the periapical lesion, suggestive of repair of the inflammatory process. During these follow-ups, the patient reported no sensory changes or pain symptoms. The use of computed tomography was a relevant strategy in this case because it provides three-dimensional images that allow detailed evaluation of the region.

Incidence neurosensory deficit in mandibular fractures.

Sensory disturbances in the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) prior to treatment can be attributed to various factors, including the site, type of fracture, and fracture displacement. Therefore, it is of interest to assess the incidence of inferior alveolar nerve injuries associated with mandibular fractures before and after surgical treatment. Group A consisted of patients with inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia before treatment, while Group B consisted of patients with inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia after treatment. A significant difference was observed between the two groups, with a p-value of 0.031 (p <0.05) with the overall incidence of IAN deficit was 57.33% before treatment and 61.33% after treatment. These findings highlight the importance of promptly identifying and managing IAN injuries to minimize long-term consequences.

FREQUENCY OF PARESTHESIA DUE TO INFERIOR ALVEOLAR NERVE DAMAGE AFTER EXTRACTION OF MANDIBULAR THIRD MOLAR AMONG PATIENTS SHOWING DARKENING OF ROOT IN ORTHOPANTOMOGRAM

Background: Paresthesia is an abnormal dermal sensation with no apparent physical cause. One of the everyday practices in any oral surgery setup is the extraction of the impacted mandibular third molars surgically. Precise measurement of the bone present for support of the implant coronal to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) canal is the pertinent way to prevent IAN injuries.&#x0D; Objective: To assess the frequency of paresthesia due to IAN damage after mandibular third molar’s surgical extraction in patients with darkening of root on orthopantomogram.&#x0D; Material &amp; Methods: It was a descriptive case series study which took place in the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Sharif Medical and Dental College, Lahore in a time frame of 6 months i.e. from December 2020 till May 2021. After meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 200 patients were made part of the study program. Informed consent and demographic information was recorded. Surgical procedure of all these patients was done. Assessment was done post-operatively first after one week when patient came for suture removal by inquiring about the subjective perception of abnormal feeling or sensation on lower lip and chin area. Patients were then reappointed for a follow-up visit after 1 month as well.&#x0D; Results: Patients’ mean age was 28.05±3.94 years. There were 104 (52%) males and 96 (48%) females in the study population. There were 38 (19%) patients of distoangular impaction, 39 (19.5%) had horizontal impaction, 55 (27.5%) had mesioangular impaction while 68 (34%) had vertical impaction. The IAN paresthesia after 1st month of surgery was found in 13 (6.5%) patients.&#x0D; Conclusion: According to this study, the frequency of paresthesia after 1st month of surgery was 6.5% due to IAN injury after mandibular third molar surgery in patients with darkening of root as observed on orthopantomogram.&#x0D; Keywords: Inferior Alveolar Nerve, Orthopantomogram, Paresthesia, Third Molar Surgery.

Management of Temporomandibular Joint Reankylosis: A Case Series.

Background Temporomandibular joint ankylosis is a severe debilitating clinical condition where there is fusion of the mandible with the temporal bone. It is often a challenge to the maxillofacial surgeon as the surgical treatment protocol must be tailored individually according to the time of presentation of the ankylosis, and proper postoperative aggressive physiotherapy must be advocated, which is essential for a successful outcome. This is a case series of six recurrent temporomandibular joint ankylosis, in which the historical Esmarch surgery was done, and the pterygomassetric sling was interposed between the osteotomized segments. Postoperative mouth opening and surgical outcome were satisfactory. In our cases, we created a pseudojoint, which was very successful using the Esmarch procedure. Aim We aim to improve mouth opening in patients presenting with temporomandibular joint reankylosis using the Esmarch procedure and evaluate the efficacy of the conventional and modified Esmarch procedure. Materials and methods We have included six cases of recurrent temporomandibular joint reankylosis. Five cases were operated on using the conventional Esmarch procedure in which the osteotomy was done at the angle region, below the inferior alveolar nerve canal, and one case using the modified Esmarch procedure, wherein the osteotomy was done above the inferior alveolar nerve canal. The patients included in the case series presented withtemporomandibular joint reankylosis and had undergone multiple surgeries for the release of ankylosis. Results Satisfactory postoperative mouth opening was achieved in all six patients. It wasobserved that in the modified Esmarch osteotomy, where the cuts were placed above the inferior alveolar nerve canal, there was a massive hemorrhage intraoperatively. This was primarily attributed to the altered anatomy of the maxillary artery, which was very close to the ankylotic mass. When the osteotomy was done below the inferior alveolar nerve canal, it was found that by this technique, the intraoperative hemorrhage was minimal, but it carries a risk of postoperative inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia, which was managed conservatively. Conclusion With the abovementioned results, we proceeded with the conventional Esmarch procedure for five cases and the modified Esmarch procedure for one case. It was found that in temporomandibular joint reankylosis cases, where there is extensive ankylotic mass extending from the glenoid fossa to the coronoid process of the mandible, this Esmarch procedure provides promising results when the osteotomy cuts are placed below the nerve canal.

Refined Topical 5-Fluorouracil Technique for the Targeted Treatment of Odontogenic Keratocysts

An innovation in the treatment of odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs) is the adjunctive application of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Although the original approach remains effective, it may often be a challenge for the patient to return postoperatively and/or tolerate non-resorbable packing removal. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether our refined approach, where we directly apply 5-FU-coated absorbable gelatin sponge to the surgical cavity, would be an effective treatment for OKCs with similar efficacy as with our original approach. A retrospective case series studying the treatment efficacy of our refined topical 5-FU approach on OKCs was reviewed. The study population was composed of all patients presenting for evaluation and management of OKCs with our refined technique between September 1, 2017 and July 1, 2022 at Stony Brook University Hospital. The primary outcomes included 1) time to OKC recurrence, and 2) incidence of trigeminal nerve injury following OKC treatment with the refined topical 5% 5-FU technique. Other study variables included age, gender, tumor location, and tumor size. Data analyses included descriptive statistics reported as median [interquartile range], and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for time to OKC recurrence. Thirteen patients with 15 OKCs were reviewed (6 women and 7 men). There were no OKC recurrences with a median follow-up time of 28.5 (24) months. Normal bony healing was observed in all cases and there were no adverse local or systemic events, no alterations in sinus function, and no incidences of infraorbital or inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia. Our case series demonstrates that this refinement further increases technical ease, decreases operating time, and precludes the need for packing removal, with similar efficacy as the original approach.

Postoperative inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia and impacted third molar distance to the mandibular canal

The goals of this study were to assess the incidence of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) paresthesia after impacted lower third molars extraction and to observe the distance between them and the mandibular canal (MC) cortical using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). For this study, 29 patients with both impacted lower third molars (totaling 58 teeth) were selected. They initially underwent clinical examination and evaluation of preoperative sensory condition according to standard protocol for nerve injury. Subsequently, they underwent CBCT and third molar extraction at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program from the Western Paraná State University. On the seventh postoperative day, they were submitted again to the sensory analysis protocol to check for IAN paresthesia. In CBCT, the distance between the MC cortical bone and the tooth was determined by the arithmetic mean of the closest measurement of these two structures in each of the tomography three sections (axial, coronal and sagittal). There was one paresthesia case (1.72%) and regarding the CBCT, 57 third molars were in close contact with the MC. It was concluded that CBCT played an important role in surgical planning and it is believed that its use contributed to the considerably low IAN paresthesia rate.

Diagnostic accuracy of physical examination findings for midfacial and mandibular fractures

ObjectivesTo assess the diagnostic accuracy of physical examination findings used to identify patients at risk for midfacial or mandibular fractures. Materials and MethodsA five-year retrospective cohort was constructed from all emergency department patients with a midfacial or mandibular trauma. The sensitivity, specificity, pre-test probability, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio data was calculated for 19 and 14 physical examination findings for midfacial and mandibular fractures respectively. Computed Tomography and panoramic radiography were used as index tests. ResultsA total of 1484 patients were identified among whom 40.4% midfacial and 33.4% mandibular fractures were diagnosed. Overall, specificity was found to be higher than sensitivity. Regarding midfacial fractures, high specificity was found for raccoon eyes, malar eminence flattening and all the findings that are related to palpation, the nasal, ocular and intra-oral assessment. Malar eminence flattening, external nasal deformity, nasal septum hematoma, change of globe position and palpable step-off had ad high positive predictive value and positive likelihood ratio. Regarding mandibular fractures high specificity was found for mouth opening restriction, auditory canal bleeding, intra-oral assessment related findings, palpable step-off, inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia, the angular compression test and chin axial pressure test. ConclusionsThe diagnostic accuracy of relevant physical examination findings were identified for the prediction of midfacial and mandibular fractures.

Inferior alveolar nerve paraesthesia after overfilling into the mandibular canal, confirmed by cone-beam computed tomography: a case report

The filling material should be restricted to the root canal, and not extend to the periradicular tissues. Overextension occurs when there is an overflow of gutta-percha and sealer, whereas overfilling refers to the overflow only of sealer beyond the apical foramen. Both may cause several negative clinical consequences. Nevertheless, an accurate diagnosis of where they occurred cannot always be performed by conventional radiographic examination, because of the two-dimensional aspect of the image. This paper describes a clinical case of labiomandibular paraesthesia after overfilling into the mandibular canal (MC), as diagnosed by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), later used to perform the treatment planning. A 34-year-old Caucasian female patient sought a private dental clinic complaining of pain in the right mandibular posterior region. After taking the anamnesis and performing clinical and radiographic exams, the patient was diagnosed with pulp necrosis in the second right mandibular molar, and underwent root canal treatment. The final radiography showed overextension or overfilling, probably into the MC. About 2 hours after the procedure, the patient reported paraesthesia of her lower right lip and chin. A CBCT confirmed a small overfilling into the MC. For this reason, vitamin B12 was prescribed as the first treatment option. After 7 days, the patient reported a significant decrease in paraesthesia, and was completely normal after 15 days. This case report shows that CBCT is an effective radiographic diagnostic tool that can be used as an alternative in clinical cases of labiomandibular paraesthesia caused by overextension or overfilling. Keywords Endodontic treatment; Overfilling; Paraesthesia; Conebeam computed tomography.

The outcome of postoperative paresthesia of inferior alveolar nerve after surgical removal of mandibular third molar using Orthopantomogram (OPG) versus Cone-beam CT

Background: Periapical and Orthopantomogram (OPG) are the most commonly used radiographs for assessment of the relationship of lower 3rd molar roots with the inferior alveolar canal. Panoramic radiographs provide inadequate information of the buccolingual relationship between the roots of the 3rd molar &amp; mandibular canal being two-dimensional (2D) in nature. To verify the relationship in three (3D) dimensions and to make a predictable treatment plan, traditional investigations may be supplemented by using CBCT. Cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) is an office-based radiography technique used to assess the three-dimensional relationship of lower 3rd molar roots with inferior alveolar nerve.&#x0D; Patients and methods: This comparative-cross sectional study was conducted at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Fatima Memorial Hospital (FMH), Lahore from 1st January 2019 till 30th June 2019. A total of 124 patients requiring removal of lower wisdom tooth were enrolled and then divided into two groups (62 in each) randomly. OPG was used for diagnosis of impacted lower 3rd molars in Group A patients while CBCT for diagnosis in Group B patients. A self-designed Performa was used to collect the data and final information was collected after 3 months of follow-up. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20. A chi-square test was used to compare the postoperative paraesthesia between the OPG group and CBCT group patients. A p-value &lt;0.05 was taken as significant.&#x0D; Results: The occurrence of postoperative paresthesia between the two groups is significantly different; being a low percentage in the CBCT group at 2nd, 7th day and after 3 months follow-up visits with a p-value of 0.019, 0.019, and 0.005 respectively. On 3 months follow up, the distribution of paraesthesia between the two groups is significantly different; 20 patients (32.25%) in OPG group A and those of 7 (11.29%) in CBCT group B experienced paresthesia with a p-value of 0.005.&#x0D; Conclusion: It is better to use CBCT to improve the postoperative paraesthesia for lower third molar surgical extraction.

Assessment of postoperative discomfort and nerve injuries after surgical removal of mandibular third molar: A prospective study.

Introduction:The surgical removal of mandibular third molar (M3) teeth may result in a number of complications including pain, swelling, bleeding, alveolar osteitis or nerve dysfunction. Most of these problems are temporary, but in some cases, nerve paresthesia may become permanent and lead to functional problems.Aims and Objectives:This study aims at measuring the clinical severity of pain, swelling, muscle trismus, infection, dry socket and any nerve injury-related paresthesia after surgical removal of M3. It also assesses the validity of the postoperative symptom severity and identifies the most frequent occurrences and postoperative complications.Material and Methods:The prospective study data was collected from 163 patients visiting the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, for surgical extraction of impacted M3. Postoperative assessment was done after 1 week at the time of suture removal for pain, swelling, wound closure, postoperative bleeding, dry socket, infection, paresthesia and trismus. Pain intensity in the form of visual analogue scale, clinical swelling determination using thread measure, trismus assessment by differences in mouth opening, paresthesia/anesthesia by questioning about tongue, chin and lip sensibility and performing neurosensory tests like 2-point discrimination, pin prick and light touch. Patients with neurosensory disturbance were followed for 6 months.Results:This study confirmed the previously reported prevalence rates of neurological deficit and demonstrated 2% incidence of lingual nerve injury where no symptom lasted for more than 12 weeks. Inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia not reported in case series. Most of the patients reported with mild pain, mild swelling and trismus at seventh postoperative day at the time of suture removal.Conclusion:Although third molar surgery is a secure and low morbidity procedure, the risk of complications will always exist and it increases with increased surgical difficulty, hence the patient should always be educated about the risks and benefits of surgery in order to ensure adequate surgical management of impacted M3.

Controversies in ameloblastoma management: evaluation of decision making, based on a retrospective analysis.

Background The ameloblastoma management is still challenging to the high recurrence rates and significant morbidity associated with radical treatment. The purpose of this 10-year retrospective study was to analyze the influence of ameloblastoma type and treatment strategy on the long-term outcomes and recurrence rates. Material and Methods The retrospective analyses of 64 histologically-confirmed ameloblastoma cases was performed. The possible risk factors for recurrence and the development of complications were estimated statistically. Results The treatment strategy applied for this group of patients was the following: thirty-four patients (53.1%) were treated conservatively with enucleation or extended bone curettage. Radical treatment (bone resection) was applied in 30 (46.9%) cases. The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 10 years (mean value 4.28 ± 3,26). General recurrence rate consisted 32.8%. This study did not find significant correlations between clinical or histopathological features of the ameloblastoma and the recurrence rate. The only factor that significantly influence recurrence rate was the treatment strategy (41% in conservative treatment vs 15% in radical treatment, p<0.05). Postoperative complications were observed in 42 patients (65.6%) and included face asymmetry and disfigurement (17.2%), temporary paresthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) - 23.4%, permanent paresthesia of IAN - 20.3%, paresis of a marginal branch of the facial nerve - 6.3%, infection 12.5%, and swelling - 20.3%. The complication rates, esthetic and functional deficiency were significantly higher in radically treated patients (p<0.05) Conclusions Our study confirms that higher recurrence rate is associated with conservative treatment for ameloblastoma, while radical treatment leads to an increased number of postoperative complications that affect the patient's quality of life. Key words:Ameloblastoma, ameloblastoma recurrence, odontogenic tumor, oral pathology.

Outcome of Mandibular Dentigerous Cysts 1 to 10 Years After Decompression Using a Custom-Made Appliance

The aim of this study was to examine the long-term results of mandibular dentigerous cysts treated with decompression using a custom-made appliance. This retrospective study included 34 patients with dentigerous cysts who were treated as outpatients at the Faculty of Dentistry, Marmara University. Medical history, complaints, intraoral and extraoral clinical findings, treatment time, and complications of these patients were collected. The average age of the patients was 7.94years. Three tooth buds (canine, first permanent premolar [P1], and second permanent premolar) in 2 cases, two tooth buds in 7 cases (P1 and second permanent premolar in 6 cases and P1 and canine in 1 case), and one tooth bud in 25 cases were related to the cyst. The mean decompression time was 5.97months (range, 3 to 9months). No major complications occurred during or after decompression. No evidence of infection, breakdown and/or dehiscence of the soft tissue, or inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia was observed. The complications and complaints were minor and straightforward to resolve. Decompression is a very effective and successful method for the treatment of mandibular dentigerous cysts.

Coronectomy of partially erupted lower third molars performed by an undergraduate dentistry student: a case series.

The coronectomy technique is an alternative to conventional impacted tooth removal which aims to reduce the risk of damage to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). The technique is usually performed by senior oral surgeons or residents in training. Herein, patients were treated in a single service, in which coronectomy was performed by an undergraduate dental student on partially erupted lower third molars. A prospective analysis was performed on 21 individuals submitted to a total of 35 coronectomies. Clinical and radiographic follow-up was performed for at least 12 months. Overall, healing was within normal limits, without major complications and without permanent IAN injury. However, one case showed temporary IAN paraesthesia resolved within a month and two required repetitions of coronectomy due to the remaining enamel, but with a good final result. Root migration was observed in all cases, but no other surgery was required. Coronectomy may be an important option for treating partially erupted teeth in close nerve relationships, which could also be performed by trained undergraduate dental students. This series is interesting because it can encourage oral and maxillofacial surgeons to train undergraduate students and to stimulate their attraction and passion for surgery.

FREQUENCY OF INJURY TO LINGUAL NERVE &amp; INFERIOR ALVEOLAR NERVE IN CASE OF MANDIBULAR 3RD MOLAR IMPACTION

Objective: The main objective of the study is to determine the frequency of injury to lingual nerve &amp; inferior alveolar nerve in case of mandibular 3rd molar impaction. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in Bakhtawar Amin Dental Hospital, Multan, during July 2018 to December 2018 with the permission of ethical committee of hospital. A total of 100 mandibular extractions were performed with the age range from 15-80. 25 patients were males and 75 were females. The predictor variables for the study were age, gender, level of impaction(soft tissue, partial bony or total bony) ,type of buccal flap raised (in surgical extractions), lingual flap retraction and protection, surgeon’s experience (specialists, residents, house officers or students) and the tooth side (right or left) in relation to the handednessof the operator (R/L). The outcome variable was the presence of postoperative lingual neurosensory deficit and inferior alveolar nerve deficit. Results: Out of 100 patients, six patients were diagnosed with lingual nerve paraesthesia on 1st and 7th postoperative day evaluation. The overall incidence rate of lingual nerve injury was 6%. One patient with paraesthesia was lost from the study after approximately 3 months of observation due to geographical relocation but this patient had definite sign of return of sensation when he was lost from study. Conclusion: It is concluded that the risk of lingual nerve paraesthesia is higher than inferior alveolar nerve paraesthesia post operatively after third molar extractions.

Low-level laser therapy for neurosensory recovery after sagittal ramus osteotomy.

Dento-skeletal deformities are treated combining orthodontic treatment with orthognathic surgery. One of the techniques most used in this type of surgery is the sagittal osteotomy of the mandible. This technique offers many advantages, but within its disadvantages is the inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia. There are various treatments that aim to recovery of the nerve bundle, and one of them is low intensity laser treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low intensity laser therapy in the recovery of neurosensorial tissues after mandibular sagittal osteotomy during orthognathic surgery. Twelve patients submitted to surgery, using mandibular sagittal osteotomy, were treated unilaterally with low intensity infrared (808 nm, GaAIAs active medium) laser, following the inferior alveolar nerve path. The other part of the mandible was treated by placebo. The parameters used were 100 mW of power, irradiancy of 3.6 W/cm2, 2.8J energy per point, an energy density of 100 J/cm2, 28 seconds at each point with a distance of 1.0 cm between points, two sessions per week with a minimum of 10 sessions, starting 48 hours after surgery. Mechanical evaluation was performed in first, fourth, seventh and tenth session. Significant improvement on the treated side was observed. Comparing the behavior among the variables between the treatment (T) group and the control (C) group in the General Recovery was showed a tendency to better results in the T group when compared to the C group, with statistical difference (P≤0.05) after the 10th laser therapy session. The treatment of neurosensorial disorders with infrared low intensity laser could be effective in accelerating recovery, providing greater comfort to the patient, and it presents advantages over other existing methods.

Inferior alveolar nerve injury assessment after surgical removal of mandibular third molar.

To assess the nerve injury (inferior alveolar nerve) after surgical removal of mandibular third molars under local anesthesia. Study Design: Observational study. Setting: Oral &amp; Maxillofacial Surgery Department LUMHS Jamshoro/Hyderabad. Period: From 11th November 2015 to 10th May 2016. Material &amp; Methods: This study consisted of one hundred patients. Inclusion criteria’s were patients with impacted mandibular third molar, patient’s age from 18 to 45years and irrespective of gender. Exclusion criteria were patients younger than 18yrs of age of above 45 years, patients having neurological disorders, medically compromised patients, patients receiving radiotherapy or chemotherapy, patients with known allergy to local anesthesia, patients having pathology due to mandibular third molars, patients radiographicaly root is very near to inferior dental canal. Results: Out of 100 patients incorporated in this research 66 were male (66%) and 34 female (34%). The mean age was 29+3.20 years. Common indication of extraction were recurrent pericoronitis 52(52%) cases followed by deep caries/ pulpitis in 28(28%) cases, orthodontic reason in 11(11%) cases and caries to adjacent tooth in 9(9%) cases. Third molar impaction according to winter’s classification were Mesioangular in 54(54%) cases followed by Horizontal in 26(26%) cases and Vertical in 11(11%). Radiographic showed Narrowing of root in 21% cases and narrowing of inferior dental (ID) canal 20% cases, followed by diversion of ID canal in 16 % cases, deflection of root 14 % cases and darkening of root in 11% cases. After surgical removal of mandibular third molar, the inferior alveolar nerve injury was observed in 6(6%) cases. Conclusion: We conclude that inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia occurs in 6% after surgical removal of mandibular third molars.

Photobiomodulation therapy for management of inferior alveolar nerve injury post-extraction of impacted lower third molars.

Inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury is one of the most serious complications after extraction of impacted lower third molars. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy has been noted to reduce pain and inflammation while promoting tissue healing. This study examined the efficacy of PBM therapy tested in a case series of patients with postoperative IAN injury. 20 patients with post-extraction IAN injury were involved in this study and divided into two groups. In the study group, PBM therapy (808-nm laser, 16 mW, 3 J/cm2) was used every other day for 2 weeks solely on post-extraction sockets in 10 patients diagnosed with IAN injury. In the control group, mecobalamine was prescribed to 10 patients with IAN injury. Objective and subjective recovery of IAN paresthesia was evaluated using clinical neurosensory testing and visual analog score. All patients showed improvement in both objective and subjective examination. Notably, the visual analog score was significantly improved after PBM treatment compared to the mecobalamine treatment (p < 0.05). PBM therapy with 808-nm laser appears to be an effective approach to manage paresthesia post-IAN injury following impacted third molar surgery. Given the limited sample size in this study, large-scale, placebo-controlled, multi-center randomized controlled trials are needed for further validation of this innovative treatment.

Randomized clinical study comparing Piezoelectric Surgery with conventional rotatory osteotomy in mandibular third molars surgeries

PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the performance and to assess the postoperative sequel and quality of life after removal of impacted mandibular third molars using piezoelectric surgery compared with conventional rotatory osteotomy. Patients and methodsA single blinded, randomized, control clinical study was performed. Sixty-three patients (44 males, 19 females) who presented with bilaterally asymptomatic impacted mandibular third molars were included in this analysis. Each patient was treated, at two separate sessions approximately 4 weeks apart, with a conventional rotatory hand piece on one side of the mandible and a piezoelectric device on the contralateral side. Patients were followed up on postoperative days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 15 to rate the pain, swelling and trismus. Inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia was evaluated up to 12 months postoperatively. ResultsThe severity of the pain, trismus and swelling using the piezosurgery were significantly different from the rotary group. In both groups, pain was most intense and peaked during the first post-operative day, while swelling and trismus reached peak levels on the third postoperative day. The piezoelectric procedure resulted in a significantly longer procedural duration compared to the rotatory surgery (P < 0.001). ConclusionPiezoelectric surgery is considered a viable alternative technique compared to the conventional rotary systems and can improve a patient’s quality of life. Thus, piezoelectric surgery might be a preferred modality for patients undergoing complicated surgical extraction of impacted lower third molars.

Panoramic versus CBCT used to reduce inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia after third molar extractions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this systematic review was to verify whether CBCT in comparison with panoramic radiography reduced the cases of temporary paresthesias of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) associated with third molar extractions. The literature search included five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, SciELO), in addition to gray literature and hand search of reference list of included studies. Two reviewers independently screened titles/abstracts, and full texts according to eligibility criteria, extracted data and evaluated risk of bias through Revised Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Trials (RoB 2.0). Data were meta-analyzed by comparing CBCT versus panoramic radiographs for number of events (temporary paresthesia after third molar surgery). Fixed effect model was used for non-significant heterogeneity; relative risk (RR) and 95% CI were calculated. The certainty of evidence was evaluated by Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in meta-analysis, and for the majority of domains they presented low risk of bias. RR was 1.23 (95% IC: 0.75-2.02; I2: 0%; p = 0.43) favouring panoramic radiography, but without significant effect, and with moderate certainty of evidence. We concluded that both interventions had a similar ability to reduce temporary paresthesia of the IAN after third molar surgery with moderate certainty of evidence.