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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Eur J Dent 2021; 15(04): 776-781
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1730042
Review Article

Lingual Flap Protection during Third Molar Surgery: A Literature Review

Giulia Petroni
1   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Alfredo Passaretti
2   Private Practice, Rome, Italy
,
Fabrizio Zaccheo
1   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Dario Di Nardo 
1   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Luca Testarelli
1   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Andrea Cicconetti
1   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Abstract

The purpose of this review was to analyze how the retraction and protection of lingual flap (LF+) could influence the incidence of lingual nerve injury (LNI) during third molar extraction, as compared with protocols that do not involve handling of lingual tissue (LF). A literature review was performed from the “Medline” and “Scopus” medical databases, using the keywords “lingual nerve” and “third molar surgery.” From the selected articles, the mean values for transitory and permanent LNI’s incidence were elaborated, taking into account the group treated with LF+ technique and the group treated with LF technique. Of 480 articles, 11 studies were included in the review. The LF+ group counted 3,866 surgeries and it resulted in a transitory LNI’s mean incidence of 2.98 ± 0.03% and a mean incidence of 0.1 ± 0.003% for permanent LNI. The LF group counted 5,938 surgeries with, respectively, 1.92 ± 0.02 and 0.49 ± 0.006% of transitory and permanent LNI’s incidence mean values. The results of this study suggest that the application of LF+ techniques reduces the risk of damage and injuries of lingual nerve.

Keywords

lingual flap - lingual nerve - third molar surgery


Publication History

Article published online:
13 August 2021

© 2021. European Journal of Dentistry. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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