Altered sensation associated with implants in the anterior mandible: a prospective study

Reported incidences of altered sensation after placement of mandibular implants range from a low of 0% to almost 44%, making it difficult to advise subjects regarding risk.

This study involved presurgical and postsurgical assessment of sensation in the lips and chins of 75 subjects, all of whom objectively demonstrated normal sensation before surgery.

Objective and subjective tests were administered before, and at planned intervals for 12 months after, the placement of 2 implants in the anterior mandible.

Objective changes were observed in only 1 subject and then only at the 2-week postsurgery interval. There were significant differences for all subjects in subjective sensation changes from baseline to 2 weeks after surgery (P =.007) and from 2 weeks to 6 months (P =.003) or 12 months (P =. 003). There was a higher percentage of subjects with normal sensation before surgery who reported sensory changes 2 weeks after implant placement (34% vs 24% for all subjects), but only 1% of subjects still reported altered sensation 1 year later. Although there were no significant differences between men and women in reports of altered sensation, more women than men noted sensation changes 2 weeks after implants were placed (25% vs 13%). There appeared to be no relationships among gender, the degree of ridge resorption, and reports of altered sensation.

Thus, although approximately 24% of subjects may report altered sensation in the short-term after implant surgery in the anterior mandible, the problem appears to be a transient one, with only about 1% experiencing sensation changes 1 year after implant surgery.