EVALUATION OF NEUROSENSORY RECOVERY IN INFRAORBITAL AND INFERIOR ALVEOLAR NERVE IMPAIRMENTS AFTER MAXILLOFACIAL FRACTURES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abdulkawi Mohammed Al-Shameri; Lutf Mohammed Al-Rahbi; Ahmed Abdulah Al-Ashwal; Hassan Abdulwahab Al-Shamahy

doi:10.22270/ujpr.v10i4.1395

Abdulkawi Mohammed Al-Shameri Yemen Medical Specialist Council, Ministry of Health and population, Yemen.
Lutf Mohammed Al-Rahbi Yemen Medical Specialist Council, Ministry of Health and population, Yemen. Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Sana’a University, Republic of Yemen.
Ahmed Abdulah Al-Ashwal Yemen Medical Specialist Council, Ministry of Health and population, Yemen. Faculty of Dentistry, 21 September University, Republic of Yemen.
Hassan Abdulwahab Al-Shamahy Departement of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Sana’a University, Republic of Yemen. Medical Microbiology and Clinical Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana’a University.

10.22270/ujpr.v10i4.1395

Keywords:

Functional Sensory Recovery (FSR), Inferior Alveolar Nerve (IAN), Infraorbital Nerve (ION), maxillofacial fractures, neurosensory recovery

Abstract

Background and aims: FSR has a substantial impact on patients' quality of life, but it is yet unknown how age, gender, repair timing, and surgical methods affect this. Optimizing surgical methods and enhancing clinical results depend on closing this knowledge gap. By looking at these factors, this study aims to offer evidence-based recommendations to direct patient treatment and improve recuperation techniques. Assessing the results of sensory neurological recovery in individuals with impairments in the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) and infraorbital nerve (ION) after mandibular and zygomatico-maxillary complex (ZMC) fractures was the goal of this investigation.

Methods: The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria were followed in conducting a systematic review. Age, sex, time from damage to repair, and repair method were prognostic factors. All reviews, animal studies, research papers published before 2014, and those without full-text access were excluded. On February 25, 2025, electronic searches were conducted in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Scopus databases.

Results: The analysis included a comprehensive dataset of 3491 patients, with a mean age of 34.25 years. The primary causes of fractures were traffic accidents (58.65 %), falls (20.56%), and assaults (20.79%). Treatment methods included open reduction (72.70%), closed reduction (7.27%), and conservative treatment (20.03%). Recovery outcomes indicated an overall recovery rate of 73.23%, with a mean follow-up duration of 186.5 days. The results were equal in both sexes, with higher rates in open reduction and early inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) repair.

Conclusions: Recovery outcomes indicated a high recovery rate, equally observed in both sexes, with higher rates for open reduction and early inferior alveolar nerve repair. The study emphasizes the critical role of treatment modalities and timing in influencing neurosensory recovery and calls for the adoption of standardized treatment protocols and expanded follow-up care. To validate these results and enhance clinical guidelines, more excellent research is required.