title: Longitudinal Treatment Outcomes of Microsurgical Treatment of Neurosensory Deficit after Lower Third Molar Surgery: A Prospective Case Series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively evaluate the longitudinal subjective and objective outcomes of the microsurgical treatment of lingual nerve (LN) and inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury after third molar surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-year longitudinal observational study was conducted on patients who received LN or IAN repair after third molar surgery-induced nerve injury. Subjective assessments ("numbness", "hyperaesthesia", "pain", "taste disturbance", "speech" and "social life impact") and objective assessments (light touch threshold, two-point discrimination, pain threshold, and taste discrimination) were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  12 patients (10 females) with 10 LN and 2 IAN repairs were recruited. The subjective outcomes at post-operative 12 months for LN and IAN repair were improved. "Pain" and "hyperaesthesia" were most drastically improved. Light touch threshold improved from 44.7 g to 1.2 g for LN repair and 2 g to 0.5 g for IAN repair.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microsurgical treatment of moderate to severe LN injury after lower third molar surgery offered significant subjective and objective sensory improvements. 100% FSR was achieved at post-operative 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, The People Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yiu Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, The People Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lim Kwong
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008036:Lingual Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D061222:Lingual Nerve Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008963:Molar / Q000601:surgery*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D061221:Trigeminal Nerve Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult