Partial anastomosis between the lingual and mandibular nerves for restoration of sensibility in the mental nerve area after injury to the mandibular nerve. Case report.

A 35-year-old woman had to be operated on because of a displaced wisdom tooth combined with a follicular cyst in the right mandible. During the excision, the mandibular nerve was disrupted, and a piece about 1 cm in length was removed together with the whole specimen. Not being planned beforehand, and because of the lack of an operating microscope, the nerve repair in terms of a graft and fascicular suture was impossible. A partial anastomosis between the distal mandibular nerve stump and the lateral third of the lingual nerve recreated normal sensibility in the mental nerve area without leaving behind a sensibility defect in the tongue.