Inferior alveolar nerve repositioning in implant dentistry: a preliminary report.

The surgical repositioning of the inferior alveolar nerve facilitates the placement of implants in the posterior mandible. The entire height of the posterior mandible is made available and enables implants to be anchored in two cortical plates, improving the primary fixation and increasing the area of the bone-implant interface. The posterior mandible can thus be predictably treated with implants in those cases where posterior support is considered important for occlusal stability and masticatory efficiency. The rapid and total recovery of sensation to the lip following nerve repositioning renders the procedure more acceptable to both the patient and the clinician.