Recurrent peripheral facial nerve palsy after dental procedures

Peripheral facial palsy is an uncommon complication of dental procedures. Most cases begin immediately after dental anesthesia and resolve within 12 hours. No report of recurrent facial palsy with dental manipulations has previously been described. We report a patient with two episodes of peripheral facial palsy, 2 years apart, developing within 24 hours of dental procedures. A third episode of contralateral facial weakness developed 3 years after the second event. This event was not related to dental manipulations. Although the exact mechanism is not known, dental manipulations may rarely result in precipitation of recurrent Bell's palsy.