The inferior alveolar nerve is the primary sensory supply to the lower teeth and the terminal mental nerve for chin and lower lip sensation. It is the most commonly blocked nerve in dentistry — the inferior alveolar nerve block anaesthetises all lower teeth on that side plus the chin and lip. The nerve is at risk in mandibular fracture, sagittal split osteotomy, and mandibular implant placement.
| Origin | Mandibular nerve (V3 — third division of the trigeminal) |
|---|
Persistent lower lip numbness after mandibular surgery (sagittal split, genioplasty, or wisdom tooth extraction) indicates inferior alveolar nerve injury — most recover within 6 months. Nerve decompression within 72 hours of compression injuries improves prognosis. Microsurgical nerve repair for complete transection provides 60-70% return of useful sensation.
Lower lip numbness from mandibular surgery or fracture managed with observation for 6 months and microsurgical repair for complete lacerations.
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
