Transposition of the mental nerve and inferior alveolar nerve trunk

Transposition of the mental nerve trunk is performed as a preprosthetic procedure. It is effective for patients with hyperesthesia caused by dental prosthesis and resorption of the alveolar ridge caused by aging. It is also performed to protect a location for implant insertion and to preserve the inferior alveolar nerve during mandibular tumor excision surgery. The demand for this surgery is increasing. The disadvantages of the surgery performed with the usual methods include the difficulty of the procedure and the long operation time. In an attempt to solve these problems, this study was conducted at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical University Hanover, introducing an improved surgical method and presenting the actual operation performed in our department. This surgical method is considered superior because it is easy to perform, requires no special equipment and results in recovery of the mental nerve after surgery.