title: Lingual nerve injury subsequent to wisdom teeth removal--a 5-year retrospective audit from a high street dental practice.
abstract: Lingual nerve damage subsequent to lower wisdom tooth removal affects a small number of patients, sometimes producing permanent sensory loss or impairment. A number of surgical techniques have been described which are associated with low incidences of this distressing post-operative complication. When a technique is adopted by an individual clinician then a personal audit may be prudent to establish how effective it is in relation to established nerve injury rates. This audit looks at a technique involving the minimal interference of lingual soft tissues during lower wisdom tooth removal in a high street practice situation for patients having mild to moderate impacted wisdom teeth removed under local anaesthetic. It was concluded that the technique employed was associated with a low incidence of lingual nerve trauma, comparable with that reported elsewhere.
authors.affiliation: Oral Surgery Department, Edinburgh. Nick.Malden@lpct.scot.nhs.uk
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Malden
authors.forename: Y G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Maidment
mesh_terms: D000766:Anesthesia, Dental; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D019230:Dental Audit; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D061222:Lingual Nerve Injuries; D008047:Lip Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008334:Mandible; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery*; D006472:Oral Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000601:surgery; D014313:Trismus / Q000209:etiology