An anatomic study of the lingual nerve in the third molar region.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the location of the lingual nerve in the lower third molar region.


METHODS
In this study, 669 nerves from 430 fresh cadavers were examined. Measurements on each cadaver were made using a micrometer caliper to determine the horizontal and vertical position of the lingual nerve in the lower third molar region.


RESULTS
In 94 cases (14.05%), the nerve was above the lingual crest, and in 1 case (0.15%), the nerve was in the retromolar pad region. In the remaining 574 cases (85.80%), the mean horizontal and vertical distances of the nerve to the lingual plate and the lingual crest 2.06 +/- 1.10 mm (range, 0.00 to 3.20 mm) and 3.01 +/- 0.42 mm (range, 1.70 to 4.00 mm), respectively. In 149 cases (22.27%), the nerve was in direct contact with the lingual plate of the alveolar process.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms the relatively unsafe position of the lingual nerve in relation to some oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures.
Behnia
H
H
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. behnia_h@hotmail.com
Kheradvar
A
A
Shahrokhi
M
M
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008036:Lingual Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D008964:Molar, Third; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric