Facial Nerve Paralysis After Wisdom Tooth Removal: A Rare but Serious Complication
Most people think of wisdom tooth removal as a routine oral surgery procedure. Swelling, soreness, and a few days of discomfort are usually expected. What most patients do not expect is the possibility of facial nerve paralysis after wisdom tooth surgery. While this complication is rare, it has been documented in the dental literature and can be frightening when it occurs. A published literature review and case report (Vasconcelos, B. C. do E., Bessa-Nogueira, R. V., Maurette, P. E., & Carneiro, S. C. S. de A. Facial nerve paralysis after impacted lower third molar surgery: A literature review and case report. Medicina Oral, Patología Oral y Cirugía Bucal) examined facial nerve paralysis after impacted lower third molar surgery and described how a patient developed weakness on one side of her face after removal of a lower wisdom tooth. The case … Read more