Being in the dentist’s chair is already a nerve-wracking experience. Have a stranger use pointy little tools to dig inside your mouth? Not everyone’s cup of tea. And it’s understandable why not, as one wrong probe can hit a sensitive nerve for some unlucky individuals.
Nerve damage during a dental procedure typically happens because of a misplaced injection or injury from a dental tool. Although it’s rare and an accidental occurrence, it does happen. So, if you’re an unfortunate victim of dental nerve damage, keep reading to learn what to expect and how to get it treated.
Why Does Dental Nerve Damage Happen?
Our mouth has a network of essential nerves that keep our senses working, so it’s an especially sensitive area that dentists work on. That’s why most dental professionals take a lot of care. According to an article published in the National Library of Medicine, many forms of dental treatment can potentially cause injuries to oral nerves.
“Some areas of the mouth are more likely to experience nerve damage as they are close to important nerves. For example, extracting or performing root canals on molars risk damaging the inferior alveolar nerve.”, according to Michael K. McGuire, DDS, a board-certified periodontist at Perio Health Professionals.
How Do You Know Your Dentist Hit A Nerve?
Even modern anesthetic advancements can’t shake off dental treatments’ painful reputation. So, nerve damage can often be confusing to identify; hence, patients often confuse it for other pains associated with treatment. Here are the most common symptoms of dental nerve damage:
- An immediate sharp pain where the nerve is hit
- Losing sensations in areas of the mouth
- Tingling and burning sensations
- Strange tastes
- Difficulty moving the mouth and talking
How Long Will Your Nerve Take To Heal?
The time it takes for a damaged nerve to heal depends on how severe the injury is. If the nerve damage is minor, healing usually takes a few weeks. However, severe nerve damage can take months or more to heal. On average, nerves can regenerate 1 millimeter a day.
Your overall health can also impact how long your nerves heal. People with systematic conditions like diabetes can have a lower rate of healing than their healthier counterparts. Young individuals can normally heal from dental nerve damage faster than older adults. However, you need professional treatment as soon as possible to achieve the best possible outcome.
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Managing Dental Nerve Damage
We worry about nerve damage from dental procedures because of their serious and often disabling symptoms. Additionally, dealing with strange or absent sensations in your mouth can be stressful. Some interventions can help with the pain and discomfort of nerve damage.
Over-the-counter pain medication can be used to relieve some damage of the pain. However, since these pain medications don’t treat the source of the pain, they have a temporary or limited effect.
According to Healthline, anticonvulsants like Gabapentinoids have been promising to treat neuropathic pain. However, experts are not clear why these antiseizure drugs work so well for nerve pain. It’s worth asking your healthcare provider about antiseizure medications for consistent pain caused by damaged nerves.
Here are some at-home steps to heal nerve damage:
- Apply Cold packs: This can help numb the pain and reduce inflammation.
- Nutrition: Take enough vitamins B12 and B6 as they support nerve health.
- Relaxation Techniques: Practice meditation and yoga to help manage pain.
Can Dental Nerve Damage Be Forever?
Even though it is extremely rare, dental nerve damage can be permanent in some cases. Dr. Michael K. McGuire added, “The most severe nerve injury is neurotmesis, which is the complete severing of the nerve. It requires immediate surgical intervention for any chance at recovery.”
When assessing nerve damage, it’s important to consider the individual’s health and the speed of medical intervention.
You can identify permanent nerve damage by persistent numbness or tingling, loss of function in your tongue and mouth, and muscle weakness. If these life-altering symptoms don’t improve, you need professional help immediately.
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Dental Nerve Damage: Should You Get A Second Opinion?
Since nerves are essential for our daily functions, severely damaging them can have serious consequences. You could even lose your motor functions when it comes to eating, drinking, or talking.
If you had a bad experience that led to nerve damage, you mustn’t shy away from dentists and get a second opinion from a more reliable one. Evaluate your symptoms’ earliest signs, as it can significantly impact your healing.
“It’s definitely worth consulting specialists like periodontists, oral surgeons, or neurologists for your symptoms. Since nerve damage has serious implications, it’s important to identify the root cause so you get treatment that works,” states Dr. Michael K. McGuire.
Takeaway
Dentists are trained to avoid nerve injuries during procedures, so it’s very rare that grave ones happen. However, if you are at the receiving end of a dental nerve injury, don’t panic. With proper intervention and care, you can expect your nerve to regenerate over time. Meanwhile, practicing a healthy lifestyle, eating a nutritious diet, and having a good oral hygiene routine are important.