Nerve Injuries, Logan and Cache Valley UT

Dr. Michael Wilkinson provides comprehensive evaluation and management of trigeminal nerve injuries, including surgical repair.

The trigeminal nerve provides sensation to the face and mouth. Neurogenic pain (pain originating from a nerve) or altered sensation can result from injury to a nerve, pathology, trauma (e.g. fractures of the jaw, cheekbone, or eye socket), or other sources.

Common dental procedures (e.g., implants, extractions, wisdom tooth removal, root canal therapy, injection of local anesthesia) can sometimes injure branches of the trigeminal nerve that travel close to the teeth.

Injured nerves can result in:

• persistent decreased altered sensation
• painful or irritating sensations
• or complete loss of sensation.

Commonly injured branches of sensory nerves in the face can result in abnormal sensations of the mouth, tongue, lip, chin.

Nerves are very sensitive to injuries. The amount of recovery depends on the degree of injury. Many nerve injuries are severe enough that they will not heal without surgical intervention.

The repair of nerve injuries is time-sensitive: one key of success is early nerve repair.