Oral Surgery · single question
Patient swollen around tooth #17 after extraction. Which nerve caused this pain?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Inferior alveolar nerve
- A. Correct. The inferior alveolar nerve provides sensory innervation to the mandibular molars (including #17 region) and surrounding structures, and is commonly implicated in post-extraction pain/swelling in this area.
- B. The lingual nerve provides sensation to the tongue/floor of mouth, not the primary nerve for molar/buccal swelling pain.
- C. The (long) buccal nerve provides sensation to the buccal mucosa/gingiva of mandibular molars but is a less likely primary source of deep post-extraction pain compared to the IAN.
- D. The mental nerve provides sensation to the chin/lower lip, an exit branch of the IAN distally, less relevant to a #17 (third molar) area.