title: The relationship of the lingual nerve to the mandibular third molar region: an anatomic study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the relationship of the mandibular third molar to the lingual nerve.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anatomic dissection of the lingual nerve in the third molar region was done on 20 cadavers (40 sides).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The position of the nerve on one side bore no statistical relationship to the position of the nerve on the opposite side. The position of the lingual nerve was variable in both the sagittal and coronal planes. In two specimens the nerve lay superior to the lingual plate and in another the superior surface of the nerve was level with the crest of the lingual plate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings have implications for the avoidance of lingual nerve damage during surgery in the third molar and retromolar region of the mandible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of California at San Francisco 94143-0440, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pogrel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Renaut
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ammar
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D006801:Humans; D008036:Lingual Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D061222:Lingual Nerve Injuries; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000294:innervation*; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000294:innervation; D014059:Tongue / Q000294:innervation; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects