Will I ever get the feeling back in my mouth again?

Question

I went to the dentist in 2005 and they did an extraction of my wisdom teeth. While they were doing the procedure, they kept on sticking the novacane needle in my mouth (it had to be around 5 or 6 times). After two weeks, I still didnt have all the feeling on the left side of my lower lip and chin. Two of my teeth still felt weird, like my gums were still numb. I went back to the dentist and he said that I have something called paresthesia and the feeling might not come back at all or can come back gradually over the years. Do you think that it was caused from too much novacane or damage to a nerve? And does anyone know if theres a chance that I will gain back the feeling in my chin and lip?

Answer 1

Chances on recovering feeling? Has it improved any over two years? If not, then I would say no, you won't recover feeling. It is caused by nerve injury during the extraction, not by the amount of Novocaine. It is, unfortunately, a fairly common residual effect of having wisdom teeth extracted due to their proximity to the facial and cranial nerves, and the trauma involved in their extraction.

Answer 2

You have nerve damage. I just asked a question about this myself (I didn't see yours first). I have the same problem, but my surgery was only a week ago. I am so sorry that you're still suffering from the numbness... it's awful! Since it has been two years, I wonder if your injury might be permanent? If I were you I would make an appointment with a oral nerve specialist and see what they recommend. While it's not common, I've heard that often the nerve can be repaired or another nerve can be transplanted from elsewhere in the body. It's worth talking to a specialist to find out.

Answer 3

Chronic paresthesia indicates a problem with the functioning of neurons. This malfunction, which is especially common in older individuals, is often the result of poor circulation in the limbs (such as in peripheral vascular disease), which may be caused by atherosclerosis — the build up of plaque on artery walls. Without a proper supply of blood and nutrients, nerve cells can no longer adequately send signals to the brain. Because of this, paresthesia can also be a symptom of vitamin deficiency and malnutrition, as well as metabolic disorders like diabetes, hypothyroidism, and hypoparathyroidism.

Irritation to the nerve can also come from inflammation to the surrounding tissue. Joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome are common sources of paresthesia.

Another cause of paresthesia, however, may be direct damage to the nerves themselves, or neuropathy, which can stem from injury or infection such as Lyme disease, or which may be indicative of a current neurological disorder. Chronic paresthesia can sometimes be symptomatic of serious conditions, such as a transient ischemic attack, a brain tumor, motor neurone disease, or autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis or lupus erythematosus. A diagnostic evaluation by a doctor is necessary to rule these out.

Paresthesiae of the mouth, hands, and feet are common, transient symptoms of the related conditions of hyperventilation syndrome and panic attacks.

Other known causes of paresthesia (aside from pressure on the affected area):
Treatment should be decided by a neurologist. Medications offered can include prednisone, intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG) and anticonvulsants such as gabapentin or gabitril, amongst others

Answer 4

You need to seek the attention of another dentist for a second opinion and tell them the excact thing that happened!