Inferior alveolar nerve damage caused by bone wax in third molar surgery

The authors present a case of inferior alveolar nerve morbidity attributable to use of bone wax to control haemorrhage during third molar surgery. The patient presented after 11 symptom-free years with parasthesia and, eventually pain in the cutaneous distribution of the right inferior alveolar nerve. Radiographs revealed a 1cm radiolucency consistent with a neuroma. Pathological examination of the surgically resected lesion revealed a foreign body reaction to bone wax. The case illustrates the poor resorption qualities of bone wax and the need for other haemostatic agents to achieve haemostasis in dentoalveolar surgery.