title: When to refer a patient with a nerve injury to a specialist.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nerve injury is a known and accepted risk of many oral surgical and dental procedures. Such injuries may occur despite the practitioner's providing the best of care. Taking proactive measures during evaluation and surgery may reduce the incidence of nerve injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Injuries to the peripheral branches of the trigeminal nerve can cause unfavorable effects on orofacial sensation and related functions such as eating, drinking, washing, speaking, shaving and kissing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When nerve injuries secondary to dental or oral surgery procedures fail to resolve promptly and the resulting dysesthesia is unacceptable to the patient, timely treatment gives the patient the best chance of a favorable outcome. Treatment may involve surgical exploration and repair of the injured nerve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognition of and prompt referral for nerve injuries give the patient the best chance of achieving improvement or recovery of sensory function in the distribution of the injured nerve.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Bagheri is the chief, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Surgery, Northside Hospital, Georgia Oral and Facial Reconstructive Surgery, Atlanta; a clinical associate professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Georgia Regents University, Augusta; and an adjunct clinical assistant professor of surgery, Emory University, Atlanta. Address correspondence to Dr. Bagheri at Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Surgery, Northside Hospital, Georgia Oral and Facial Reconstructive Surgery, 11975 Morris Road, Alpharetta, Ga., 30005, e-mail sbagher@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shahrokh C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bagheri
authors.affiliation: Dr. Meyer was the chief, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Surgery, Northside Hospital, Georgia Oral and Facial Reconstructive Surgery, Atlanta, when this article was written. He now is the director, Maxillofacial Consultations, Greensboro, Ga.; and a clinical associate professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Georgia Regents University, Augusta.
authors.forename: Roger A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D061222:Lingual Nerve Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D009462:Neurology; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D061221:Trigeminal Nerve Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Dental implants; surgical procedures; trigeminal nerve