Facial nerve palsy following dental extraction: A case report

Choi, Moon Ki; Oh, Sung Hwan; Kwon, Kyung Hwan; Yang, Chan Young; Ji, Young Duk; Koh, Seo Wook

Abstract

Facial nerve palsy is the most frequent cranial nerve motor neuropathy. It may be due to traumatic, compressive, infective, inflammatory, and metabolic abnormalities. However, the majority of cases remain without an identified etiology and will eventually be diagnosed as idiopathic peripheral facial nerve palsy, or Bell's pasly. Facial nerve palsy during dental treatment is very rare. In most cases, paralysis begins immediately after the injection of local anesthetic into the region of inferior alveolar nerve. In this instance, recovery takes a few hours, usually as long as the anesthesia lasts. At other time, however, there may be delay in onset of symptom for several hours to days and the course is more protracted. The reason for this delayed palsy is not clear. We report 1 case of delayed facial nerve palsy following left maxillary 1st and 2nd molar extraction and discuss the possible etiology and management of this very rare complication. This patient was diagnosed finally facial nerve palsy related otomatoiditis.