Hi there,

i went to the dentist three months ago and the same thing happened to me. My dentist told me that there could be nerve damage that can take up to two years to heal. Not good news I know, however, I think it is getting better tho slowly.

I had surgery on my jaw a couple of years ago and one of the things that kept being mentioned was a nerve that goes along the bottom of your jaw - they kept asking me if my lip on tongue was numb. It could just be that that nerver got bruised during the dental treatment - I would think it should heal in time though

lindsay

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My brother had his wisdom teeth out a year ago and had the same thing. He is finally getting all of the feeling back. It might just take time. I had surgery on my foot years ago and it took me over a year before the nerves healed enough for me to move my pinky toe.

I received an injection from my dentist about 6 weeks ago to replace a filling. My tongue was also pricked by the needle. I too felt the jab, and then my tongue went numb. I thought that the numbness would go away quite quickly. However, the right side of the tongue is still numb. I called the dentist and he said that he probably hit a nerve. He explained that it should go away in about 1 - 2 months. It has eased up considerably. However, I still have numbness. Will it ever go away?

Sorry you have residual numbness,but,it does usually get better,but,it does take some time.Did you feel like your tongue was stuck by the needle or was it more like an electrical shock??Sometimes when the person giving the injection is a little too close to the nerve,you get the sensation of electricity in either your tongue or in the chin and it can feel like you were stuck by the needle.When this happens,your nerve has had some trauma and nerves take the longest of all cells to repair themselves.Be paitent and give it some more time.Best of luck to you!Pattyv

Hi
there were some posts about numb tongue or what they call paresthesia back in nov '03. I was wondering if these people had been lucky enough to have the feeling back in their tongues yet as the remedy being given was "time". I had my wisdom teeth removed back in august '04 and also suffer from a numb tongue, caused by nerve damage. I'm also wondering at what stage do they say that this is a permanent condition or whether it is only temporary ?? Also, if it is classed as permanent, then is there something you can do about it ??
If anyone can advise, i'd appreciate it.
Many thx
kelly

Kelly.. I know this post is dental but actually my incident was on my foot. I had foot surgery years ago.. And instead of the tongue, my toe in the area of the surgery was numb and I couldn't move it.. For me it took over a year before all the nerves healed back to the point where I could move my toe. So just from experience, even at a year it still can come back.

Well mine is going on 5 years now after having my wisdom teeth taken out, the right side of my tongue and the the lower left side of my lip, have a feeling that mine is gone for good

First of all, thanks to all of you. You helped me know what was going on after my novacaine numbness did not total dissipate following wisdom teeth extraction. My dentist had not gone over the complications and the receptionist I talked to the day after told me nothing useful (actually talked about numbness her husband had in his cheek, totally unrelated to my case). Frightened and clueless, I went to the web and found out what had happened. My numbness is in my chin, lower lip and lower teeth. Although like some of you say, numbness is not the word. Tingling, shooting, burning, throbbing--that's more descriptive. Anyway, it seems that most cases of temporary parathesia should go away in about 6 months. I just wanted to pass along a caution that I received from a casual conversation with a lawyer. Don't listen to the dentist that says you need to wait 2 years to see if it is permanent or not! Two years is the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit, so of course they want you to wait! You may not be planning anything like that, but I think it's important to distinguish between the 6 months that most people say a damaged nerve needs and 2 years!

Three or four months ago my dentist hit my lingual nerve when injecting the novacaine to fix a chipped molar. It felt like an electric shock in my tongue, but no big deal, the same thing had happened the last time I saw him, and when I saw a previous dentist about a year earlier. In the past, the odd sensation was gone by the end of the day, but in this case, my tongue is still affected. The first week or so it felt like the left margin of my tongue was numb or tingling. After a week or so, the sensation changed and began to migrate around my tongue. It now affects mostly the tip and left margin, but part of the right side also, and the feeling is very hard to describe. I could describe it as tingling, burning, itching, numbness or the feeling you have after you burn your tongue on coffee. It's sort of like the sensation you get from putting your tongue on a nearly-dead 9 volt battery (c'mon, every kid has done it), or of tasting metal, like if you put a key in your mouth. In fact, at the less instense times, it's a taste almost as much as it is a sensation. Most of the time it is quite uncomfortable, but at times, for no apparent reason, it can become almost unbearable, and the only relief I can get is from numbing the edges and tip of my tongue with some orajel or ambesol for tooth pain. Sometimes I even think that maybe my tongue is swollen because I can feel the edges rubbing against the sides of my teeth, but it looks normal. I do not have slurred speech or hypersensitivity to acidic foods, mouthwash or toothpaste.

I am told that the sensation that I continue to have is not from the dentist sticking my nerve with a needle because it's moved and changed. I'm skeptical of this assertion because it started when he hit the nerve, and although it has changed and moved around a bit, it has not ceased for even an hour since that moment.

Does this sound like the same condition the rest of you have?

A few days ago I had 4 wisdom teeth extracted. I noticed on the third day of recovery that the persistant numbness in my chin, bottom lip and bottom front teeth was not going away. So I called my dentist and they acted like it was normal and told me to up the Aleve I was taking. Fortunately, I got on line and began to research this. Now I am a bit more worried about my situation, I am wondering when I should begin to feel any relief, and If not what do I do then. I don't think that I can live with this very long, it is driving me crazy. Even though their is not any visual effects, I feel disfigured. It hurts when I bite to eat, and at times I get sharp pains if I open my lips a bit to much. I am worried because I am a teacher and I talk a lot when I teach, I hope this doesn't effect me then.

My tongue pain and tingling took every bit of 6 months to resolve. Meanwhile, I numbed it with Ambasol. The dentist was a real prick about it -- acted as though I was making it up, and basically told me that if such a thing were really happening, he didn't do it/wasn't his fault.

I'm sure now that what he did was jab a nerve and nerves take a long time to heal. I realize my problem was slightly different from yours, but it sounds like the same cause. I got relief with Ambasol, you'll probably have to find something else. If you think your dentist is downplaying it (which wouldn't surprise me from my own experience), checking with your regular doctor might get a better response.

Hope you feel better.

I went to my dentist last week to have a chipped molar repaired. The dentist adminestered novicaine and as the needle entered my cheek, jaw it felt like I had been shocked. The pain sent me back into the chair and the dentist, who I have been going to for 20 years, apoligized. I have had many injections and never had this reaction. My tongue went numb and started to tingle instantly. My cheek and tongue stay numb longer than usual and finally started to come out of it that night, however my tongue stayed tiingly. When I got up the next day my tongue was still numb and felt like I had burned it on hot coffee. I called the dentist and was promised he would call right back. Two days later I called again and finally got the dentist. He said that he had hit a nerve and the feeling would come back in a few days or maybe weeks.
The sensations effects my tatste buds and makes eating less enjoyable.
Anyone have any suggestions?

I too went to the dentist and had shots before. But this time the shot sent be back in the chair it hurt so bad. Dentist said I probably got a shock. Anyway the next day my tongue was still numb and feeling odd. I called the dentist and he said he probably hit a nerve and it may take a year to heal. He acted like it was no big deal. I have the same symptoms as I've been reading about. The numbness on one side, tingling, sharp pains, and especially the metal, salty taste. It feels like my tongue is raw all the time or burnt from a hot drink. And I think from sucking on it trying to get it to feel better I have made the inside of my check raw too. It has been 13 months since this happened and I am starting to get really scared that it won't go away because it seems like it is just getting worse.
Has anyone sued their dentist?

i had my four wisdom teeth pulled out on march 4, 2008, eventhough i was put to sleep, my mouth felt like they have used anasthesia but for what, then why did he put to me to sleep, so i called and went in the dentist office, and he acted like nothing was wrong and all he could of said is that the nerve is pressured, etc...what i really dont understand is why does this happen is this really their fault or just different peoples reaction, i've being numb for a weeks n days, and i cannot live with this for too long it bothers me so much no being able to feel my lip, chin and left side teeths...but is this really their fault because after going to see him he made me read this paper about paresthesia and signed it, why would he do that is he protecting hiself, should any legal actions be taken, for improper work done...please someone help me i really can't wait till this goes away...it has me so depressed....

paresthesia is one of the probable complication of wisdom tooth extraction if your tooth is near the nerve it is problable that the nerve suffers some damage with the extraction , it is like medicines all medicines have posibles side effects but when you need it, you have to make the decision between the disadvantage (the side effects) or the advantages (cure the illness) ,every surgery have those "side effects" too ,your dentist have to inform you about this before procedure and he has to give to you the advantages,disadvantage and complications of the procedure ,it has to be a written consent that you read and sign before procedure ,if you sign it means that you understand what he is going to do, and the posible complications of the procedures and the posibles complications of not doing the procedure .

I feltthe same jolt inmy tongue when I was being injected. It felt as if the tongue had immediately gone numb.
Dentist says it should be gone in a week or two, but I think he is down playing it.
I have that tingling and itchy at time. At others there is pain. I also have much discomfort with cold drinks or ice cream.
I can wait a month or so, but a year of this seems intolerable.

Did this suddenly go away for some or gradual reduction of numbness?

Nice to hear of others experiences

Hi there. I actually had a post on here about htis.. which received 31 views.. but 0 replies..lol.. I'm glad i found this post..

i had a filling done on my Lower Right side (3rd tooth from the front) on Saturday morning (12 noon), and it is now Tuesday afternoon (2PM), and my Tongue (on the side of my mouth that the dental work was done on) is still frozen!!
I contacted my dentist, and he said (re: the freezing) it can last up to 2 weeks?!!!??!!!!
WHAT!!>>???
I've never had this type of reaction before!!
Is this something that does occur?
Is my dentist telling me the truth?
Should I be concerned about anything more serious regarding this condition?

he asked if my lip had returned to normal (which it has for the most part), and
Assistance is greatly appreciated in understanding more about this!
thank you!

****UPDATE****
I waited for 9 days after the procedure, when I started to also have an irritated throat. The family Physician noted that i now had an infection in my jaw, and throat, and in my right ear canal... all suspected from this earlier procedure. ( so there's another $100.00 for antibiotics and ear drops).
It's been 16 days now since i had the filling done by my dentist... and I'm curious... because the whole thing was done like a normal filling.. and here is my question.... is there any recourse legally to take against my dentist?... I ask this because this does seem to be a form of malpractice, since I have been subject to the pain, discomfort, loss of sensation & taste, and irritation that is a continuous problem. I am in Canada, and I'm not sure about what my legal rights are in pursuing about his matter. I am not prepared to wait and see if this goes away, and then take it to legal measures... (as most of us who have this issue are aware of.. it's at times unbearable!!)
I feel I am now disfigured (in so much of the sense of the actual word).. and there were no forms that my dentist and I went over, or had signed.
Again.. any assistance is much appreciated in this matter.
thank you.

My dentist accidently pricked my tongue with the needle and I didn't think
much about it. After three days of having my tongue being numb, I called
my dentist and he said it wooud take 3 to 6 weeks and everything would be OK with my tongue.
Reading posting on eHealth forum, it scares me about how long I will have
to deal with my tongue being numb due to my dentist making a mistake
and hitting my tongue with the needle.