Numbness After 3 Weeks After Wisdom Teeth Extraction, What Should I do?

Question

I had 2 wisdom teeth extracted (a tooth on each side of my lower jaw) 3weeks ago. On left side of my face, I feel numb on by lower lip and chin but have occasional tingling sensation and itches. I went back to my surgeon and she placed on Vitamins B1, B6, B12. I need a second opinion from Doctors. Please advice.

Yasser A. Elseweifi, DDS · Answer

Numbness can happen after teeth extraction. The numbness could be due to a slight trauma to the nerve, such as crushing or stretching. It could be due to partial or complete cut of the nerve. The trauma to the nerve usually heals but the healing time differs according to the cause of trauma. Your treating doctor would be the best resource as he/she would not the circumstances of the surgery. Good luck.

Jay Neuhaus, DDS · Answer

Numbness following the extraction of a lower wisdom tooth is a well known risk of that type of surgery. It very often can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to return to normal. Occasionally, it never returns to normal. It all has to do with the trauma to your mandibular nerve which lies in your jaw very close to the roots of the wisdom tooth. If that nerve is totally severed, the feeling may never return to your jaw. More often than not, however, there might have been a slight "bruising" of the nerve or simply extreme inflamation, in which case the feeling usually does return. Only time will tell. Be patient.

Giri Palaniswamy, DDS - Account Suspended · Answer

Looks like you are experiencing what is called paresthesia.  Paresthesia is an altered feeling or sensation to an area.  Anesthesia is total numbness/ no feeling.  The mandibular nerve probable got irritated/ inflamed or bruised during the procedure (a known risk/ usually quite rare).  The fact that you are experiencing tingling is a good sign that the nerve may be on it's way back to healing after the injury. We have seen this last for as little as a few days and for as long as 6-12 months, and in very rare cases never returns to normal.  

	You may consider having an evaluation by an Oral Surgeon who specializes in Mandibular nerve repair just so that you have all your options laid out.

	Hope this helps.  WIsh you a speedy recovery!

Numbness After 3 Weeks After Wisdom Teeth Extraction, What Should I do?

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Numbness After 3 Weeks After Wisdom Teeth Extraction, What Should I do?

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Everything you need to know about Wisdom Teeth Removal

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.