Incidence of lingual nerve injury during lingual flap retraction

Abstract

Surgical removal of impacted third molar is sometimes associated complications lingual nerve damage. The objective of this study was to record incidence of lingual nerve damage and risk factor associated with it.  In a study conducted on forty patients who went for surgical removal of third molar where buccal flap along with lingual flap was raised and incidence of lingual nerve damage was observed. Incidence of lingual nerve damage was 5% with no permanent damage to lingual nerve. Only 5% cases parathesia was found which recovered completely within 3 months of period .The lingual nerve damage observed more in more in those groups which are termed as “difficult impacted extractions” usually and present deep in the mandible.