Frequency of trigeminal nerve injuries following third molar removal

Abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by Dr Trevor Watts

Abstract

Injuries of this sort were inversely related to operator experience, with the implication that a preventive approach might inhibit training of new surgeons.

Main

Robert RC, Bacchetti P et al. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2005; 63: 732–735

Although potential nerve injury following lower molar removal is a factor affecting surgical technique, its frequency is reported as from 0.5% to 5% for the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), and 0.6% to 2% for the lingual nerve (LN). A questionnaire was sent to 564 oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFSs) in California, and 535 replied.

Over a 12 month period, almost all OMFSs reported IAN injury, and half reported LN injury. The median rate for IAN injury was 0.4% of extractions, and for LN, 0.1%. The highest respective individual rates were 9.3% and 2.3%. Mean permanent injury rates for the nerves were 1/10 of the median rates. There was a strong correlation of nerve injury rates with OMFS years of experience, and also with numbers of extractions by individual OMFSs per year. The cause of injury was known more often for IAN than for LN.