Nerve Damage and 3rd Molar removal Flashcards
Give instances where surgical intervention of damage to the inferior alveolar nerve can be undertaken
- nerve is completely divided and severed ends are misaligned
- if a bony fragment has compressed mandibular canal
- patient suffers from persistent neuropathic pain
Following damage to the lingual nerve, if sensory testing demonstrates no neural recovery within ________, exploration of injury site and microsurgical repair of damaged nerve can be undertaken
3-4 months
What nerves are in close proximity with impacted 3rd molar teeth?
- lingual
- inferior alveolar
- mylohyoid
- buccal
What is parasthesia?
abnormal sensation
What is hypoaesthesia?
reduced sensation
What is dysaesthesia?
unpleasant abnormal sensation
What factors can aid the correct management of nerve injuries?
- correct diagnosis of the type of injury
- monitoring recovery
- treatment of appropriate cases
Following IAN damage, what can cause retraction of severed nerve endings? What is the consequence of this?|
Displacement into the socket
This means that the severed nerve endings are no longer side by side; this can impact regeneration of the nerve
Regeneration of the IAN within the canal can be impeded by …
displaced fragments of bone from the roof of the canal
Most patients following IAN damage will regain normal sensation within weeks or months. True or false
True
What is hyperalgesia?
increased response to stimulus that is normally painful
What is allodynia?
pain due to stimulus that does not usually provoke pain
What are the 5 radiographic signs/ features that suggest juxtaposition of mandibular canal with the third molar roots? (Rood and Shehab, 1990)
- radiolucency across the roots of the third molar
- deviation of mandibular canal
- interruption of the white line of the canal. Signs considered to be clinically important
- deflection of the third molar roots by the cancal
- narrowing of the third molar root
A higher incidence of IAN injury has been reported with third molars that are …
- horizontally impacted
- mesioangularly impacted
AND
* have complete bone cover
One study has suggested that increasing age is associated with higher incidence of IAN injury. True or false
True
What covers the lingual nerve?
thin layer of soft tissue and mucosa
Outline some reasons why regeneration of axons across the gap is less successful in lingual nerve injury?
- they may become trapped or constricted by scar tissue
- adjacent soft tissue may also be distorted and thus the nerve endings are misaligned
- the presence of functionally distinct nerve fibres (e.g. mechanosensitive, thermosensitive, gustatory, vasomotor and secretomotor) may make successful regeneration of axons back to the correct receptor/effector and location less likely
Outline some postulated reasons as to why the incidence of lingual nerve injury varies
- differences in the time interval between tooth removal and the assessment of sensory impairment
- whether or not the sensory deficit was established objectively by the clinician or based on a subjective patient assessment
- differing surgical techniques
What would an early assessment of sensory impairment yield?
- reports of transient changes that recover rapidly and completely
- these changes would often be missed if assessment takes place following a longer recover period
What surgical technique is at increased risk of causing lingual nerve injury?
raising and retraction of a lingual mucoperiosteal flap
Outline one risk factor that increases risk of lingual nerve injury
- if distal bone is removed during surgery
What are the strongest predictors of temporary and permanent lingual nerve injury?
- difficulty of the extraction
- factors reflecting the surgical skill (e.g. lingual plate perforation)
Briefly describe the path of the buccal nerve
- descends between two parts of the lateral pterygoid muscle
- it is medial to the ramus of the mandible
- passes laterally across the exteral oblique ridge, distal to the third molar
- supplies the cheek
What is included in the sensory distribution of the buccal nerve?
- lower posterior buccal sulcus
- gingivae
- area of cheek mucosa
What are the 5 degrees of nerve injury according to Sunderland’s classification?
- conduction block
- transection of axon with intact endoneurium
- transectioon of nerve fibre (axon and endoneurial sheath) inside intact perineurium
- transection of nerve fibres and perineurium, nerve trunk maintained bu epineurial tissue
- transection of the entire nerve trunk
Why is part or all of the buccal nerve at risk when a distal relieving incision is made during 3rd molar surgery?
this is because as the nerve crosses the external oblique ridge, it is composed of between 1 and 5 branches, the lowest of which may be >1cm below the deepest concavity of the ridge
What type of injury can give rise to a temorary conduction block?
minor compression injury (of the nerve)/ first degree injury
According to Seddon, a temporary conduction block is referred to as …
neuropraxia
What is the consequence of second degree injury?
in this type of injury the axon distal to the site of the injury degenerates (wallerian degeneration)
recovery is dependent on regeneration of damaged axons
What is a second degree nerve injury?
more sever compression or crush injury
According to Seddon, second degree nerve injury is referred to as …
axonotemesis
What is a third degree nerve injury?
rupture of the endoneurium
What is a fourth degree nerve injury?
rupture of the perineurium