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Queral-Godoy E, Valmaseda-Castellón E et al Oral Surg 2005; 99: 259–264

In a Spanish university clinic over a period of 3.6 yrs, there were 4,995 extractions of lower third molars in 3,513 patients. In the patients who had both molars removed, extractions were separated by 3 weeks or more. In most cases, buccal flaps were raised, with ostectomy and tooth sectioning if necessary.

At suture removal, 55 patients had inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) side-effects after 56 extractions (1.1%). One was total anaesthesia, 8 were dysaesthesia, and the remainder were hypoaesthesia. In regression analysis, age was the only significant factor affecting IAN recovery after extraction. The likelihood of recovery decreased by 4% with every year of age. A person 10 years older than another had approximately 2/3 the chance of similar recovery at any specified time after injury.