Inferior alveolar nerve injury assessment after surgical removal of mandibular third molar.

To assess the nerve injury (inferior alveolar nerve) after surgical removal of mandibular third molars under local anesthesia. Study Design: Observational study. Setting: Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Department LUMHS Jamshoro/Hyderabad. Period: From 11th November 2015 to 10th May 2016. Material & Methods: This study consisted of one hundred patients. Inclusion criteria’s were patients with impacted mandibular third molar, patient’s age from 18 to 45years and irrespective of gender. Exclusion criteria were patients younger than 18yrs of age of above 45 years, patients having neurological disorders, medically compromised patients, patients receiving radiotherapy or chemotherapy, patients with known allergy to local anesthesia, patients having pathology due to mandibular third molars, patients radiographicaly root is very near to inferior dental canal. Results: Out of 100 patients incorporated in this research 66 were male (66%) and 34 female (34%). The mean age was 29+3.20 years. Common indication of extraction were recurrent pericoronitis 52(52%) cases followed by deep caries/ pulpitis in 28(28%) cases, orthodontic reason in 11(11%) cases and caries to adjacent tooth in 9(9%) cases. Third molar impaction according to winter’s classification were Mesioangular in 54(54%) cases followed by Horizontal in 26(26%) cases and Vertical in 11(11%). Radiographic showed Narrowing of root in 21% cases and narrowing of inferior dental (ID) canal 20% cases, followed by diversion of ID canal in 16 % cases, deflection of root 14 % cases and darkening of root in 11% cases. After surgical removal of mandibular third molar, the inferior alveolar nerve injury was observed in 6(6%) cases. Conclusion: We conclude that inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia occurs in 6% after surgical removal of mandibular third molars.