Vitamins in the Management of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Sensory Disturbances: A Scoping Review of Randomized Studies.

Background

Sensory disturbances of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) may follow dental and maxillofacial procedures and impair oral function and quality of life. This scoping review mapped randomized evidence on vitamin-based treatment of established IAN sensory disturbances.

Methods

The review protocol was developed prospectively and registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF; osf.io/bvd54). PubMed, CENTRAL, BASE, SciELO, Europe PMC, and the Virtual Health Library (BVS) Regional Portal were searched from inception, with searches conducted between 31 August and 19 September 2026; the LILACS collection was also searched separately within BVS. Eligible studies compared a vitamin-based intervention with placebo, no vitamin supplementation, or the same standard care without another active treatment.

Results

Three randomized studies involving 164 analyzed participants were included. They evaluated heterogeneous B-complex regimens after implant placement, bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, or mandibular third-molar extraction. One study found no significant between-group differences in paresthesia or pain. Another reported greater improvement in sensory-disturbance-related quality of life at 3 and 6 months in a 19-participant subset. The third reported more frequent regression of sensory disturbances in the vitamin group, although no between-group significance test was provided for this comparison and key p values represented within-group changes. Adverse events were not systematically reported.

Conclusions

The evidence is sparse and methodologically heterogeneous and does not support firm conclusions regarding clinical effectiveness. Better reported randomized trials using standardized sensory outcomes and explicit safety monitoring are needed.