Microsurgical repair of nerves injured during third molar surgery.

The inferior dental and lingual nerves are in close proximity to the mandibular third molar. In approximately 5 per cent of cases of the surgical removal of this tooth one or other of these nerves may be injured. In most cases the injury is reversible but in 1 per cent a distressing dysaesthesia may occur. The diagnosis of the sensory deficit is made by repeated sensory testing. If there is no improvement by six to nine months then complete spontaneous recovery will not occur. These irreversible nerve injuries can be successfully treated microsurgically.