Paralisia facial periférica por Iatrogenia odontológica: Revisão de literatura

Abstract

The facial nerve is the seventh cranial nerve, and it provides motor fibers to mimic muscles, stylohyoid and posterior belly of digastric, sensory fibers for taste, and secretomotor fibers for lacrimal salivary glands. The peripheral facial palsy, or also known as Bell’s palsy, is usually featured by paralysis of mimic muscles. This condition is usually by an unknown cause, which is called idiopathic paralysis. Therefore, the deal of this study was to identify the case reports of iatrogenic peripheral facial palsy in dentistry (IPFPD), through a comprehensive literature review in online databases. There has been a case report of IPFP, since 1978 to the current year. The most of cases has been caused by dental anaesthesia, followed by recklessness in endodontic and surgical procedures, and overlook in both operative technique and dental infection. The main clinical sign is the palsy of mimic muscles, but also ear pain or tinnitus, and taste changes. The most commonly applied treatment for that condition is corticosteroid therapy, however some cases resulted by nerve block did not require any treatment, as its remission occurred at the end of anesthetic effect. We concluded that the IPFPD affects any gender or age, and the corticotherapy is widely applied for treatment in the most of cases. The lack of knowledge in anatomy and in techniques of the dental procedures, or both, could became prevailing factors directing to the IPFPD. Given the paucity of clinical reports over this condition in the world literature, our study becomes an essential didactic tool in the teaching of dentistry and the professional training for the dentists, contributing to reduce the risks of IPFPD in the patient.