Longitudinal Treatment Outcomes of Microsurgical Treatment of Neurosensory Deficit after Lower Third Molar Surgery: A Prospective Case Series

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate the longitudinal subjective and objective outcomes of the microsurgical treatment of lingual nerve (LN) and inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury after third molar surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 1-year longitudinal observational study was conducted on patients who received LN or IAN repair after third molar surgery-induced nerve injury. Subjective assessments (“numbness”, “hyperaesthesia”, “pain”, “taste disturbance”, “speech” and “social life impact”) and objective assessments (light touch threshold, two-point discrimination, pain threshold, and taste discrimination) were recorded. RESULTS: 12 patients (10 females) with 10 LN and 2 IAN repairs were recruited. The subjective outcomes at post-operative 12 months for LN and IAN repair were improved. “Pain” and “hyperaesthesia” were most drastically improved. Light touch threshold improved from 44.7g to 1.2g for LN repair and 2g to 0.5g for IAN repair. CONCLUSION: Microsurgical treatment of moderate to severe LN injury after lower third molar surgery offered significant subjective and objective sensory improvements. 100% FSR was achieved at post-operative 6 months.