Following implant placement, a patient experiences numbness in the lower lip for a few days. The numbness resolves completely without intervention. This nerve injury is classified as:

Correct answer: B. Neurapraxia

• A. Neurotmesis is complete nerve transection — requires surgical intervention; does not resolve spontaneously.
• B. Correct. Neurapraxia is the MILDEST nerve injury — involves temporary conduction block without axonal damage (focal demyelination). It resolves spontaneously (days to weeks). Transient post-implant numbness that fully resolves is classic neurapraxia.
• C. Axonotmesis involves axon damage with preserved connective tissue; it may recover but takes weeks to months and may not fully resolve.
• D. Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition — not the classification for temporary numbness after implant.