Evaluating a methodical approach to lingual nerve protection during third molar surgery using a standardized step-by-step procedure: A retrospective analysis

The aim of this study was to assess the methodical protection of the lingual nerve via the use of a standardized step-by-step procedure in the surgical extraction of the lower third molar. A 5-year retrospective analysis of surgical third molar surgery conducted by third-year oral surgery specialty program students was performed in the oral surgery department of Policlinico Umberto I in Rome, from 2017 to 2022. All surgeries were carried out using a standardized step-by-step procedure to protect the lingual flap during the surgery. Every patient underwent a review on the initial postoperative day, and subsequently, one week after the surgery, coinciding with the removal of the sutures. During each postoperative visit, thorough examinations were conducted to assess any sensory nerve impairment of the inferior alveolar, lingual, or mylohyoid nerves. None of the cases reported postsurgical lingual nerve injury; there was zero incidence of lingual nerve paresthesia or dysesthesia. The systematic application of lingual flap protection proved to be an effective and reproducible approach for the surgical removal of lower third molars without raising the risk of lingual nerve sensory impairment, regardless of the operator's experience.