How Nerve Damage Can Occur
The primary nerve at risk during implant surgery is the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), which runs through the lower jaw and provides sensation to the lower lip, chin, and gums. Nerve damage can occur if:
- An implant is placed too close to or contacts the nerve canal
- Drilling or surgical instruments compress or stretch the nerve
- Post-operative swelling puts pressure on the nerve
The lingual nerve (providing sensation to the tongue) can also be affected in rare cases during lower jaw procedures.
Upper jaw implants do not carry nerve damage risk (there is no equivalent major nerve in the upper jaw).
How Fusion Prevents Nerve Damage
- 3D CT imaging — Every patient receives a 3D cone-beam CT scan that precisely maps the nerve canal location, width, and course through the jaw. This is not possible with standard dental X-rays.
- Computer-guided surgery — Custom surgical guides constrain the drill path to pre-planned safe zones, maintaining adequate distance from the nerve.
- Safety margins — Our surgeons maintain a minimum 2mm safety margin between any implant and the nerve canal.
- Board-certified expertise — Our oral and maxillofacial surgeons have years of training in jaw anatomy and nerve-sparing techniques.
- Intraoperative assessment — During surgery, our surgeons monitor depth and position continuously.
With these precautions, nerve damage risk at Fusion is well below 1% — among the lowest of any implant practice.
If Nerve Damage Occurs
In the rare event of nerve injury:
- Temporary cases (most common) — Numbness or tingling resolves spontaneously within 2-8 weeks as the nerve heals. This is often caused by post-surgical swelling compressing the nerve, not direct damage.
- Prolonged cases — Some cases take 3-6 months to fully resolve. Nerve healing is slow but progressive.
- Permanent cases — Extremely rare with modern techniques. If an implant is directly impinging on the nerve, it can be repositioned or removed to relieve pressure.
Treatment options for nerve injury include observation (most resolve on their own), medication (B vitamins, anti-inflammatory drugs), and in rare cases, surgical intervention.
Why Patients Choose Fusion Dental Implants
- ✓In-House Lab & Same-Day Results — Our on-site lab crafts your custom zirconia prosthetics, so you can walk out with a new smile the same day. No waiting weeks for an outside lab.
- ✓Lifetime Warranty on Zirconia — We stand behind our work with a lifetime structural warranty on all full-arch zirconia restorations. If it cracks or breaks under normal use, we replace it free.
- ✓Price-Match Guarantee — Because we own our lab and employ our specialists directly, we keep costs lower than corporate chains. We'll match any competitor's quote for comparable treatment.
