Dental nerve injuries can be overwhelming and a life changing experience for patients who have been injured. These dental and tongue nerve injuries may be temporary or permanent. The symptoms can vary and change depending on which nerve is injured, and the amount of damage to that nerve. The two most frequent injuries occur to the lingual nerve and the inferior alveolar nerve.

Symptoms of lingual and inferior alveolar nerve damage and the type of dental procedures which most commonly result in nerve injuries are:

Inferior Alveolar Nerve Injury

Symptoms:   The most frequent symptoms relating to an inferior alveolar nerve injury are the following

1)     Complete or partial numbness of the lip, chin and gingiva.
2)     Tingling sensation and feeling in the lip, chin and gingiva.
3)     Severe or moderate pain, burning or an electric like shock sensation in the lip, chin and gingiva.
4)     Drooling, food remaining on the lips and chin during eating.

Dental Procedures:  Inferior alveolar nerve injuries are most commonly caused by the following dental treatment.

1)      Extraction of lower molar and lower wisdom teeth
2)      Insertion of dental implants in to the lower jaw.

Lingual Nerve Injury

Symptoms:  The most frequent symptoms following a lingual nerve injury include the following:

1)      Complete or partial numbness of the tongue
2)      The loss of the ability to taste or the presence of a metallic or salty taste.
3)      Tingling sensation of the tongue.
4)      Severe or moderate pain, burning or electric shock sensation in the tongue.
5)      Speech impairment, especially when talking at a fast rate.
6)      The inability to control the food in your mouth when eating
7)      Partial dry mouth on the side of the injury.

Dental Procedures:  Lingual nerve are most commonly caused by the following treatments.

1)          Extraction of lower molar and lower wisdom teeth