Impaction Of The Lingual Nerve

The lingual nerve can be closely associated with the crown of the impacted third molar and may lie above the level of the lingual bone before passing downwards and forwards into the floor of the mouth and the tongue.
Nerve repair When the inferior dental nerve or lingual nerve are damaged and sensation is lost or dysaesthesia (unpleasant sensation) occurs, nerve repair should be considered.This is best undertaken by an experienced operator using a microscope and fine sutures (10/0 gauge). Some return of sensation may occur but the patient must be warned that this may not happen.
Impaction against a tooth The third molar may impact against the second molar either in the mesioangular (Figure 9.4a) or in the horizontal position (Figure 9Ae).The impaction may be overcome in one of three ways. …show more content…
It is often advised where the third molar is heavily impacted against the distal root of the second molar without any apparent intervening alveolar bone. This should not be necessary if the surgeon avoids damaging the second molar roots and the soft tissue round the neck of that tooth. Usually the second molar is sound and the operation must be planned to protect it from damage during the extraction of the buried tooth. Rotation of the impacted tooth, particularly if it is in a favourable mesioangular position, may allow it to be turned bodily away from the second molar. This can be planned on radiographs. The apex of the distal root of the third molar is taken as the centre of a cirde through which the tooth might be