The complication of trismus after local anesthetic injection is rare and may be prevented by the use of short needles for maxillary posterior injections, and by the avoidance of multiple injections in a short period time.
Generally, trismus is gradually alleviated or disappears within approximately 1 to 2 weeks post-operatively; however, in very rare cases, trismus persists for >1 month.
Suggest heat therapy (placing moist hot towels on the affected area for 15-20 minutes every 1 hr). Suggest taking analgesics: ASA or acetamiophen 325 mg, 1-2 tablets every 4-6 hrs; or ibuprofen 200 mg, 1-2 tablets every 4 hrs. Muscle relaxants may be used in combination with analgesics or alone.
The signs of nerve damage after a dental injection
Numbness or lack of feeling in the tongue, gums, cheeks, jaw or face. A pulling or tingly sensation in these areas. Pain or a burning feeling in these areas. Loss of taste or things tasting unusual.
Allergic reactions may include mild symptoms, such as urticaria, erythema, and intense itching, as well as severe reactions in the form of angioedema and/or respiratory distress. Even more severe life-threatening anaphylactic responses include symptoms of apnea, hypotension, and loss of consciousness [2,3].
With most local anaesthetics, your tooth will be numb for 2-3 hours, while your lips and tongue will be numb for 3-5 hours after the time of injection. As the blood flow carries away the anaesthetic from the injection site to be metabolized or broken down, the numb feeling will gradually fade away.
Paresthesia or neuralgia complication is mostly transient but may also be permanent if the anesthetic solution is injected directly into the nerve. Due to a numb feeling, the patient may have discomfort such as tongue biting, drooling, loss of taste, and speech impediment.
TMJ Pain After Dental Work
However, true jaw pain after a dental injection is more likely to be from muscle injury combined with strain to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and surrounding structures. The sustained jaw opening after a dental procedure can cause muscle strain and fatigue, resulting in jaw pain.
Some of the signs and symptoms of tooth nerve damage after receiving dental treatment include: Numbness or lack of feeling in the tongue, gums, cheeks, jaw or face. A tingling or pulling sensation in these areas. Pain or a burning feeling in these areas.
Facial nerve palsy is a rare but described the complication of inferior alveolar nerve block anaesthesia. The exact incidence is unknown. Literature suggests most cases have an immediate palsy with quick recovery usually resolving within 7 hours.
Trismus usually resolves itself in less than two weeks, but it can be very painful in the meantime. Permanent trismus can occur too. Whether trismus is around for days or months, daily exercises and massaging can ease the pain.
Common medications for trismus include muscle relaxers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve pain. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, a doctor may prescribe oral medications or drugs that require injection into the jaw. Some forms of NSAIDs are also available over the counter.
Symptoms include the reduced range of motion you experienced, pain or cramping in the jaw that occurs with or without movement, and pain or difficulty when exerting pressure, as when eating. Whether or not your jaw problem is due to TMD or trismus, we urge you to see your doctor or a TMD specialist for diagnosis.
But left untreated, trismus can affect people's ability to eat and regain strength after treatment. It can affect their ability to communicate, making them feel frustrated or isolated. If cancer treatment makes it hard for you to open your mouth, let your healthcare provider know.
Pain is the most frequent symptom of a nerve injury. It is usually described as a severe shooting or burning sensation at the injection site with radiation to the dorsum of the forearm and hand. Patients could also present numbness, paresthesia, hypoesthesia and other sensory disturbance.
If a nerve is hit, the patient will feel an immediate burning pain, which can result in paralysis or neuropathy that does not always resolve.
Direct stimulation of the peripheral nerve with a needle during a local anesthetic injection can trigger direct nerve perforation and injury to the fascicle and perineurium. In addition, nerve injury is affected by the size and type of needle.
A medial pterygoid myospasm can occur secondary to an inferior alveolar nerve block. This disorder generally is treated by the application of heat, muscle stretches, analgesic and/or muscle relaxant ingestion, and a physical therapy referral.
The most common way that dental negligence jaw fractures happen is during a tooth extraction, when so much force is exerted to remove the tooth that your jaw is fractured as a result. Mistakes that happen during dental implants procedures can also cause fractured jaws, as well as nerve damage.
Some people experience a sore jaw joint after dental work like cleaning and plaque removal. This is usually simply due the strain of having your mouth open in an unnatural position for an extended period of time.
While most nerve damage is always accidental, negligence by a dentist during a dental procedure can also result in dental nerve damage. With treatment, dental nerve damage can heal in six to eight weeks. If, however, the effects last more than six months, then it is considered permanent nerve damage.
The inferior alveolar nerve block is the most common injection technique used in dentistry and many modifications of the conventional nerve block have been recently described in the literature.
Some people have mild changes in sensation (feeling). There may be an area of numbness or 'pins and needles'. Some patients describe strange sensations or pain in the area affected. Uncommonly, there may be weakness in one or more muscles.