The Use of Piezosurgery to Mobilize the Mandibular Alveolar Nerve Followed Immediately by Implant Insertion: A Case Series Evaluating Neurosensory Disturbance

One of the therapeutic options proposed for reconstruction of the atrophic posterior mandible is inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) mobilization with simultaneous implant placement. However, studies on the functionality of this neurovascular bundle after its mobilization have shown mixed results. This variability can be attributed both to the test methodology, which typically requires subjective answers from patients, and to the surgical procedure itself, which is highly dependent on operator technique. This article reports on a series of 10 cases of IAN mobilization using a device specifically engineered to simplify bone surgery. This device enables the oral surgeon to avoid overstretching the nerve by creating a smaller bone window and using an apicocoronal inclination of instruments to capture the neurovascular bundle. Evaluation by means of neurosurgery function tests over a 36-month period found that all patients had a return to normal sensation after a brief period of neurosensory disturbance. Subjective responses to a patient questionnaire confirmed these findings. The implant success rate was 100%.