What is nerve repositioning?

Nerve repositioning or nerve lateralisation is used in cases when a patient needs to have a number of missing lower back teeth replaced, but the patient’s bone mass is not tall enough for dental implants to be placed successfully.

Nerve repositioning or nerve lateralization involves the repositioning of the inferior alveolar nerve, which is the nerve that supplies feeling to a patient’s chin and lower lip areas. The placement of dental implants in patients who have experienced significant bone loss in the lower jaw area may not be possible without damaging the inferior alveolar nerve – which is why the movement or repositioning of this nerve is needed. This technique allows the whole height of the lower jaw to be made available for the placement of longer dental implants.

Nerve repositioning for dental implant treatment is reserved for the rare cases that require it, where the bone mass is not tall enough at the lower back of the jaw. Lack of jaw-bone is usually a result of deterioration of the bone due to aging or possibly from the absence of teeth in that area for an extended period of time.