Tooth loss is one of the common causes of reduced quality of life in adults. Dental implants have become a widely accepted treatment option for both partially and completely edentulous patients [1–3]. However, in cases of posterior mandibular atrophy, suitably sized implants cannot be placed without encroaching on the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). In such cases, restorative options include the use of short fixtures, onlay bone grafting to increase the ridge height, and more complicated and detailed imaging studies to allow positioning of implants alongside and not in the nerve canal during the procedure [4]. Another option is to displace the IAN laterally from its canal during implant insertion (nerve lateralization, transposition, or nerve reposition) [5, 6]. The advantages of IAN lateralization include the ability to place longer fixtures and to engage two cortices for initial implant stability [3]. However, as a possible complication of the procedure, temporary or permanent disturbance of the neurosensory function of the IAN is common. The risk of IAN morbidity sometimes results in the limited use of this procedure. However, only few studies have evaluated the long-term results of neurosensory disturbance (ND) following IAN lateralization for dental implant placement in the atrophic edentulous mandible, and the range and quality of the neurosensory function of the IAN have not been fully analyzed [7–10].

The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the quality of postoperative neurosensory function after IAN transposition for dental implant placement.