Abstract
Several publications reporting lingual nerve damage in the region of 11% caused the author to undertake a retrospective personal clinical audit of 100 cases which demonstrated a comparable complication rate of 10%. This audit prompted a re-evaluation of the detailed surgical anatomy, the design and manufacture of a new type of periosteal elevator and lingual nerve retractor and a modification of the surgical technique. A subsequent prospective personal clinical audit of 1001 consecutive wisdom tooth operations has resulted in a 20-fold improvement (0.5%) in the incidence of lingual nerve damage. The technique and instrumentation has been used under local anaesthesia and under general anaesthesia by surgeons of varying experience and has a group audit complication rate of only 1% in 300 consecutive cases. The value of clinical audit has become self evident
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Walters, H. Reducing lingual nerve damage in third molar surgery: a clinical audit of 1350 cases. Br Dent J 178, 140–144 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4808682
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4808682
This article is cited by
-
The effect of modified surgical flap design for removal of lower third molars on lingual nerve injury
Clinical Oral Investigations (2017)
-
The relationship of the lingual nerve to the third molar region using radiographic imaging
British Dental Journal (2007)
-
Iatrogenic injury to oral branches of the trigeminal nerve: records of 449 cases
Clinical Oral Investigations (2007)