Injury to the peripheral sensory branches of the trigeminal nerve (nerves that provide feeling to the face and oral structures) are well known complications of a variety of oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures, including third molar (wisdom teeth) removal, endodontic (root canal) procedures, dental implant placement, facial trauma, and other oral and facial procedures.
Repair of select nerves in the facial region can be done if the diagnosis is made in a timely fashion. Dr. Bagheri has trained during his fellowship with microvascular surgeons in conjunction with maxillofacial reconstruction. In addition he is certified in microsurgery form Emory University, Department of Orthopedic Surgery.
Dr. Bagheri has given several lectures on microneurosurgical repair of nerves in the maxillofacial region, and is currently one of the few surgeons in the South Eastern United States that provides this service.
Most commonly repaired nerves by Dr. Bagheri are:
- Lingual Nerve injury (usually presenting with a numb tongue).
- Inferior Alveolar Nerve injury (usually presenting as a numb lip and gums).
- Mental Nerve (usually presenting as a numb lip).
Article by Dr. Bagheri in the Journal of the American Dental Association: When to refer a patient with a nerve injury to a specialist
Article and video by ATLANTA TV Station (CBS46.com): New Technology Fixes Botched Wisdom Tooth Surgery
