“Will my lip stay numb if I have my wisdom tooth removed?”

“My X-ray shows the tooth is very close to the jaw nerve, what will happen?”

“Should I find an oral surgeon in Bursa and have it removed with piezosurgery?”

These are some of the most common questions we hear nowadays about wisdom teeth. Especially in lower impacted cases, when the roots of the tooth are close to the mandibular nerve (inferior alveolar nerve), both patients and dentists naturally become more concerned.

In this guide, we will explain—clearly but scientifically—

1. the relationship between wisdom teeth and the jaw nerve,
2. numbness (paresthesia) risk,
3. the importance of choosing the right oral surgeon,
4. the role of piezosurgery,
5. and what patients in Bursa should know before impacted wisdom tooth removal.

Wisdom Teeth and Their Relationship With the Inferior Alveolar Nerve

Lower wisdom teeth often sit right above—or very close to—the mandibular canal. This canal carries the inferior alveolar nerve, responsible for sensation in the lower lip, chin, and some lower teeth.

In some individuals:

1. The tooth roots are very close to the nerve canal,
2. Sometimes the roots overlap the canal,
3. Rarely, the root tips appear to wrap around the canal.

When someone says “my wisdom tooth is too close to the jaw nerve,” this is what they mean. The closer the roots are to the nerve, the higher the potential risk of:

1. pressure on the nerve during surgery,
2. excessive bone removal around the nerve,
3. heat or mechanical trauma
4. or direct contact.

This can increase the possibility of temporary or permanent numbness.

What Is an Impacted Tooth and Why Are Some Teeth Closer to the Nerve?

An impacted tooth is one that has not fully erupted into the mouth and remains partially or completely covered by gum or bone. Wisdom teeth have the highest rates of impaction.

Impacted teeth may be:

1. fully impacted (completely in the bone),
2. partially impacted (partially visible),
3. positioned at various angles (vertical, horizontal, mesioangular, distoangular).

Deeply impacted and horizontally positioned lower wisdom teeth are frequently located very close to the mandibular canal. This is why these cases fall under “high-risk” categories in oral surgery.

Thus, when planning wisdom tooth removal in Bursa, the key question is not only

“Is my tooth impacted?”

but also:

“How close is my impacted tooth to the nerve?”

What Is Paresthesia and Why Is It So Worrying?

One of the most feared complications after lower wisdom tooth surgery is paresthesia—numbness, tingling, reduced sensation.

This numbness can appear in:

1. the lower lip,
2. the chin,
3. gums or nearby teeth.

There are two main categories:

Temporary numbness

Usually caused by stretching, swelling, or mild pressure on the nerve. This typically improves over days to weeks, and sometimes over a few months.

Permanent numbness

Caused by severe nerve injury, crushing, or accidental sectioning. This is extremely rare but can affect quality of life.

In scientific literature:

1. Temporary nerve injury: ~1–2%
2. Permanent nerve injury: ~0.2–0.5%

These rates vary depending on case difficulty and the surgeon’s experience.

Key point:

Risk cannot be reduced to zero, but with skilled surgical planning, it can be greatly minimized.

Is a Panoramic X-Ray Enough for Evaluation?

Most patients in Bursa begin with a panoramic X-ray. This is good for an overview but not sufficient to evaluate nerve proximity in 3D.

A CBCT (cone-beam computed tomography) scan is valuable when:

1. roots appear close to the mandibular canal,
2. there is suspicion that roots may contact or wrap around the nerve,
3. previous trauma, cysts, or pathology exist.

CBCT provides:

1. exact distance to the nerve,
2. the amount of bone between the nerve and roots,
3. true root inclination and impaction depth.

For this reason, when a patient hears “your wisdom tooth is close to the nerve,” a CBCT evaluation by an experienced oral surgeon in Bursa is one of the safest approaches.

Why the Choice of Oral Surgeon Matters

When the nerve is involved, the surgeon must have:

1. advanced training in oral and maxillofacial surgery,
2. significant experience with nerve-related impacted tooth cases,
3. access to CBCT, piezosurgery, and appropriate microsurgical tools,
4. the ability to choose alternative management strategies (e.g., coronectomy).

A skilled oral surgeon will not remove every impacted tooth automatically. Instead, they consider:

1. risk–benefit ratio,
2. whether the tooth can be safely monitored,
3. whether coronectomy is safer than full extraction.

Choosing “the closest clinic” is not always the right answer—experience and surgical philosophy matter more.

What Is Piezosurgery and Why Is It Popular?

Traditional bone removal uses burs and drills. This method works and remains widely used.

Piezosurgery, however:

1. uses ultrasonic micro-vibrations,
2. selectively cuts bone while sparing soft tissue and nerves,
3. reduces heat,
4. offers more controlled cutting in high-risk areas.

Studies show that piezosurgery:

1. may slightly increase operating time,
2. but often reduces postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus,
3. helps protect soft tissues and nerves.

Therefore, many oral surgeons in Bursa now prefer piezosurgery for nerve-adjacent cases.

Important reality check:

Piezosurgery lowers risk

but

cannot eliminate it completely.

If Numbness Occurs, What Happens Next?

Early symptoms such as tingling, reduced sensation, or “cotton-like” feeling are common in nerve-close cases.

General progression:

1. First 48 hours: swelling and mild nerve pressure are common.
2. 2–4 weeks: numbness usually starts improving gradually.
3. 3–6 months: the most significant recovery period.
4. After 6 months: improvement slows but may still continue.

Warning signs that require follow-up:

1. worsening numbness instead of improvement,
2. numbness accompanied by increasing pain,
3. facial asymmetry or speech changes.

In such cases, your oral surgeon should reassess you immediately.

Questions You Should Ask Before Wisdom Tooth Removal in Bursa

1. Does my tooth really need removal, or can it be monitored?
2. Do I need CBCT in addition to the panoramic X-ray?
3. How close are the roots to the nerve—low, moderate, or high risk?
4. How many similar nerve-risk cases have you handled?
5. Do you use piezosurgery?
6. If numbness develops, what is your follow-up protocol?
7. How do you manage post-operative controls for out-of-town patients?

These questions help establish clarity and trust.

FAQ

Q: My impacted tooth is close to the nerve—does that mean I will get numbness?

No. Proximity increases risk but does not guarantee nerve injury. Skilled surgical planning greatly reduces risk.

Q: If piezosurgery is used, does the risk disappear?

No. Piezosurgery provides better soft-tissue protection, but zero-risk surgery does not exist.

Q: If I get numbness, is it permanent?

Most cases are temporary and improve. Permanent numbness is very rare.

Q: My impacted tooth doesn’t hurt. Should I still remove it?

Not always. Some impacted teeth remain silent; others cause cysts, bone loss, or decay in adjacent teeth. Evaluation is necessary.

Q: Is it hard to find an oral surgeon in Bursa?

No, but choosing one with experience in nerve-risk cases and access to CBCT + piezosurgery is important.

Conclusion: Informed Decisions Lead to Safer Surgery

1. Wisdom teeth, especially lower impacted ones, may lie very close to the jaw nerve.
2. This increases the risk of paresthesia, but experienced surgical technique reduces the likelihood dramatically.
3. Panoramic imaging is the first step; CBCT is essential for detailed nerve mapping.
4. Piezosurgery is a modern technique that protects soft tissue and nerves but does not eliminate risk.
5. Before making a decision, discuss all details with your oral surgeon and review the risk–benefit balance carefully.

If you are thinking:

1. “My wisdom teeth are impacted; I don’t know how close they are to the nerve.”
2. “I’m afraid of numbness and want a surgeon in Bursa who uses piezosurgery.”
3. “Do I really need removal, or is monitoring safer?”

then your first step should be a consultation with an experienced oral surgeon.

The safest surgery is the one that is well-planned and skillfully executed.