Assessment of inferior alveolar and lingual nerve disturbances after dentoalveolar surgery, and of recovery of sensitivity.

In a follow-up of 1107 dentoalveolar operations in the postcanine region, 24 (2.2%) temporary sensitivity disturbances of the inferior alveolar nerve and 16 (1.4%) of the lingual nerve were found. Permanent disturbances were not present. Complete recovery had occurred by 6 months in all cases. The incidence of temporary sensitivity disturbances depended on the different surgical interventions performed. For evaluation and follow-up purposes, a computer-aided pain and thermal sensitivity (PATH) tester was used. By PATH testing, spontaneous recovery can already be ascertained at the third or fourth postoperative month.