The use of phentolamine mesylate to evaluate mandibular nerve damage following implant placement.

High success rates and long-term predictability of implant therapy have been well documented in the literature. However, complications in implant treatment can arise and include sensory disturbances, especially in the posterior mandible in areas close to the inferior alveolar nerve. Treatment efficacy of sensory disturbances caused by implant placement in this area relies on the expeditious diagnosis of an induced paresthesia. Recently, phentolamine mesylate has been introduced as a reversal agent of local anesthesia with the ability to decrease the requisite time for a patient to return to normal sensation. This article introduces a method for faster detection of a potential paresthesia induced by implant placement in the posterior mandible.