Clinical observation of patients with inferior alveolar nerve sensory disturbance.

Fifty-four patients diagnosed with paresthesia on one side of the lower lip or skin in the chin area, were examined by multiple sensory tests and assessed self-reported subjective symptoms and the psychological state through questionnaires. Additionally, they were followed over time. Each sensory test threshold was evaluated and classified according to the individual way of scoring system, and the average sensory score (ASS) was used to analyze the correlation between self-reported symptoms and psychological state. On the second visit, all sensory test results had improved. The ASS was positively correlated with the pain questionnaire on the first visit; however, it did not correlate with psychological state or personality. There was a positive correlation between neuroticism and anxiety scores. The index of change (IC) of the ASS over time did not correlate with the IC of patients' self-reported symptoms or mental state. The IC of ASS data improved in all patients, but self-reported subjective symptoms did not show signs of improvement in all patients. When patients were divided into two groups according to age or sex, older females showed significantly more improvement than younger males on the psychological test.