Assessment of Neurosensory Disturbances and Recovery Following Surgical Removal of Impacted Mandibular Third Molar – A Prospective Study

Abstract

Aim: This prospective study aim to determine the incidence and pattern of recovery of IAN and LN decits after surgery while comparing which nerve, site, side, age group and type of impaction was most likely to suffer from neurosensory disturbances and to evaluate the risk factors such as duration of surgery, proximity to inferior alveolar canal, excessive hemorrhage, clinical observation of neurovascular bundle, contributing to these postoperative neurosensory decits. Materials&Methods: This study was conducted on 30 patients who underwent surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar between 2017-2019 in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere. Clinically, all the patients underwent objective evaluation by using pin prick test, two-point discrimination and blunt test. Sensory function was evaluated 1 week, 1, 3 and 6 months post-operatively. The areas that were evaluated are those supplied by IAN and LN. Result: The incidence of NSD in our study was 10%, the IAN 6.7% and LN decit 3.3%. No permanent NSD was observed in this study. Statistically signicant association was found between excessive hemorrhage from the socket and NSD (p=0.009). No signicant association was found between gender, age, side, type, difculty score and duration, observation of neurovascular bundle during surgery and proximity of roots to the inferior alveolar canal with NSD.