From the CBCT images and your description, your lower wisdom tooth appears to be impacted and tilted, and it is lying very close to the inferior alveolar nerve. This is a common situation and does make the extraction technically more complex, but it does not automatically mean severe nerve damage will occur.
With modern imaging like CBCT, surgeons can carefully plan the procedure and reduce risk significantly. In such cases, options like sectioning the tooth or performing a coronectomy (removing only the crown and leaving roots near the nerve) may be considered if nerve proximity is very high.
If the tooth is already causing intermittent pain, sensitivity while chewing, or food lodgement, it can create future problems such as infection, decay in the adjacent tooth, gum swelling, or cyst formation. So leaving it untreated can also carry risks.
The chances of permanent nerve damage are generally low, especially when the procedure is done by an experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon, though temporary numbness can occasionally occur and usually recovers over time.
I would advise consultation with an oral surgeon who can clinically correlate your CBCT and explain whether full extraction or coronectomy would be safer in your case.
Answered2026-02-07 21:00:34
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