Understanding Nerve Damage After Wisdom Tooth Removal
In some rare cases, when your dentist removes your wisdom teeth, it may affect the nerves that control feeling in your mouth and face. While this type of nerve injury is rare, we believe our patients deserve to know about it. That’s why our South Perth Dentist decided to write this article — to explain nerve damage after wisdom tooth removal, its causes, symptoms, and the treatment options dentists usually recommend.
Causes of Nerve Injury After Wisdom Tooth Removal
Nerve damage after wisdom tooth removal may happen when the roots of your tooth are very close to important nerves in your lower jaw. Your wisdom teeth are very close to the two main nerves in the jaw. These nerves are crucial; one of these nerves affects the sensation in your lower lip, chin, and bottom teeth, and the other one impacts your tongue’s ability to taste and feel. Because of their location, there’s a small risk that these nerves could be disturbed during wisdom tooth extraction.
If your wisdom tooth is deeply impacted or is growing at a strange angle, it may press against these nerves or be difficult to remove without touching them. People who are older than 25 usually have denser bone and more complex root structures, and this can slightly increase the risk of nerve injury after wisdom tooth removal.
Please remember that while these risks do exist, they’re rare, and most wisdom teeth extractions go smoothly without any serious complications.
Our full guide explains what you need to know about wisdom teeth removal in Perth.
Types of Nerves That Might Be Affected
Inferior Alveolar Nerve
There’s a nerve called the inferior alveolar nerve that is located underneath your lower wisdom teeth. It’s what helps you feel your chin and lower lip. If it gets hurt, you might notice a bit of numbness or a funny tingling sensation.
Lingual Nerve
The lingual nerve is located near the inner side of your lower wisdom teeth. This nerve helps you taste and feel things with your tongue. If it gets damaged, you might notice some numbness, or you may feel that food tastes a bit different.
The risk of nerve damage depends on where your wisdom teeth are and how complicated the surgery is. Our dentists and oral surgeons are highly skilled at performing this procedure with care to avoid affecting these nerves.
Signs and Symptoms of Nerve Damage After Wisdom Tooth Removal
Numbness or Loss of Feeling: After the usual numbness from your wisdom tooth extraction fades, if you still can’t feel your chin, lips, tongue, or some of your gums, it could be a sign that a nerve’s been a little irritated.
Tingling or “Pins and Needles”: You might notice a tingling feeling or pins and needles in your mouth or face, a bit like when your arm or leg falls asleep and starts to wake up again.
Changes in Taste: Some people find that food tastes different or that they can’t taste properly on one side of their tongue after their procedure, which can happen if the lingual nerve has been affected.
Sharp or Shooting Pain: Some people may experience sharp, electric-like pains in their jaw, tongue, or cheek rather than a dull ache from healing. This kind of pain can sometimes mean the nerves are a bit irritated.
Trouble Moving Your Mouth: If it feels harder than usual to smile, speak, or move your tongue, it could mean a nerve that helps with muscle control needs a bit more time to recover, which might suggest some mild nerve irritation or injury.
A Feeling of Swelling or Tightness: Sometimes, even if everything looks normal on the outside, you may feel like your mouth, chin, or cheek is puffy or tight, which can happen when a nerve isn’t working quite right. This may suggest a mild nerve injury.
Is Nerve Damage Permanent?
If a nerve gets irritated during wisdom tooth surgery, you might notice numbness, tingling, or a “pins and needles” feeling in your lip, chin, tongue, or cheek.
As we said before, while nerve damage during wisdom tooth removal is rare, it may happen in some cases. However, in most cases, these changes are temporary and get better on their own over a few weeks to a few months.
Permanent Nerve Damage Is Very Rare
Permanent nerve damage is extremely rare, and it may only happen in a small number of cases. It may occur when the nerve is very close to the tooth roots or if there’s a lot of pressure on the nerve during surgery.
What Affects How Well the Nerve Recovers?
Several factors can influence how quickly and fully your nerve heals, including:
How close the nerve was to your wisdom tooth (it is shown on scans before the procedure)
The amount of swelling or bruising around the nerve after the procedure
How complex your procedure was (for example, if your tooth was deeply stuck)
Your body’s natural healing ability
How Long Does Recovery Usually Take?
Recovery is different from person to person. While most people notice improvements within a few weeks, for some people, full recovery can take up to 6–12 months.
It’s important to remember that nerves heal very gradually.
What If the Nerve Doesn’t Fully Heal?
In rare cases, if the nerve doesn’t fully heal, there are things that can help with the symptoms you are experiencing. Your dentist or surgeon can explain the options to you.
When to Contact Your Dentist or Surgeon
Make sure you call your dentist if you’re still numb after a day or two, your pain is getting worse even with the medicine your dentist prescribed, or you’re having trouble speaking, eating, or swallowing.
Treatment Options for Nerve Damage After Wisdom Tooth Removal
Medication: For mild cases, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers to help you with your discomfort, but for more severe pain, prescription medication might be needed to help you feel better and heal properly.
Physical Therapy: Sometimes, some exercises can help restore your nerve function. Your dentist or doctor will let you know which ones are right for your situation.
Corticosteroids: If inflammation is more serious, your dentist or doctor may prescribe corticosteroids to help with swelling and help your nerves recover.
Surgery: In rare cases where the nerve damage is more serious and doesn’t get better with other treatments, surgery may be needed to help repair the nerve.
The Role of Dental Professionals
Your dentist or surgeon will start by checking how much nerve damage there is. They might use scans or other tests to get a clearer picture of what’s going on. After assessing your situation, they will create a personalised treatment plan, which may include medications, referrals to specialists, or specific therapies to help with nerve recovery.
Tips for Managing Symptoms and Facilitating Recovery
Follow Your Dentist’s Advice: Make sure you follow any exercises or instructions your dentist or oral surgeon suggests. They know what’s best for your recovery.
Be Patient: Nerve recovery is a slow process, so try to be patient and avoid putting too much pressure on yourself.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: Try to eat a balanced diet, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep to support your body’s healing process.
Protect the Area: Be gentle with your mouth while you’re healing. Avoid foods that are too hard or chewy, and follow any specific care instructions your dentist has given you.
Everyone’s recovery is different, so what helps you might not be the same as what helps someone else. Stay positive, listen to your dentist or doctor, and look after yourself to give yourself the best chance at healing well.
How to Reduce the Risk of Nerve Damage after Wisdom Tooth Removal?
Thorough Examination
Your dentist or oral surgeon will do a thorough assessment (X-rays or possibly a CT scan) to understand the position of your wisdom teeth and their proximity to nerves. This detailed exam will help dental professionals plan a safe wisdom tooth extraction.
Discuss Your Medical History
Share your full medical and dental history with your dentist. Some conditions or medications may affect your surgery and the recovery afterwards.
The Importance of Choosing an Experienced Dental Surgeon
Choosing an experienced dentist is an essential step you should take before going through wisdom teeth surgery. An experienced dental surgeon knows how to handle tricky or complex extractions carefully, which helps lower the risk of problems like nerve damage.
Dentists with a lot of experience in removing wisdom teeth usually have higher success rates and are better able to handle any unexpected issues during surgery. Your surgeon will take the time to understand your specific situation, from the shape of your mouth to any health concerns, and adjust their approach. This is an important part of making sure your surgery goes well.
Your Next Steps: How Perth Wisdom Teeth Clinic Can Help
If you’re considering wisdom teeth removal or have any concerns about the procedure, our team is here to help. For any unexpected dental problems, our Emergency Dentist Perth ensures immediate, expert care with a gentle and reassuring approach.
Schedule a consultation with us today (08) 9474 5083 for a thorough assessment and a care plan tailored just for you.