Mental nerve shielding from possible injury during mandibular surgical procedures: technical note

Area of Science:

• Maxillofacial Surgery
• Neurotraumatology

Background:

• Mental nerve injuries are a frequent complication in maxillofacial surgeries.
• These injuries, caused by surgical instruments, can lead to hypoesthesia, neuropathic pain, or trigeminal neuralgia, significantly affecting patient quality of life.
• Direct nerve injury often results in more severe and permanent postoperative symptoms than indirect injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel technique for protecting the mental nerve during mandibular procedures.
• To minimize the risk of rotary drill-induced injury to the mental nerve.

Main Methods:

• A technical note detailing a specific shielding method for the mental nerve.
• The technique is applicable during mandibular inferior border recontouring, orthognathic surgeries, and mandibular body fracture fixation.

Main Results:

• The described technique provides a protective barrier for the mental nerve against rotary instruments.
• It aims to prevent direct trauma and reduce the incidence of associated complications.

Conclusions:

• Implementing this mental nerve shielding technique can enhance patient safety during specific maxillofacial surgeries.
• This method offers a potential solution to mitigate nerve damage and improve surgical outcomes.