Treatment of exposed inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle with PRF during surgical removal of impacted lower third molars

Abstract

Surgery to remove impacted lower third molars involves risk for exposing the inferior alveolar neurovascular (IAN) bundle. The platelet rich fibrin (PRF) should be adequate to facilitate healing in self-contained defects and has been widely used in the oral and maxillofacial surgery. Therefore, we used PRF to treat patients whose IAN bundle was exposed during surgery. With a 98% chance of recovery at one-year post-surgery after treatment with PRF, seeing an exposed IAN bundle during impacted lower third molar removal surgery also suggests its close association with the third molar and poses a 20% risk of paresthesia. The use of PRF is such patients could support healing that can lead to promising result.