Table 3.

Results of individual studies

Study	Number of IANL and IANT procedures	Number of implants placed	Implant survival rate	Results
Morrison et al. [1]	20 IANT	30	100%	All patients had initial change in sensation for about one month. 80% of the sites had returned to normal. 4 patients (4 sites in total) had persistent change in sensation. Each also said that the abnormality did not disturb to daily activities. According to objective tests, all sites were normal. 1 patient had painful unilateral dysesthesia for 3 months, in the end, had normal sensation.
Chrcanovic et al. [2]	18 IANT	25	88%	All patients had initial paresthesia with complete recovery of the sensitivity within 6 months.
Kan et al. [3]	5 IANT 10 IANL	64	93.8%	For IANL - ND by LT was 16.7%, by BSD 16.7% and by 2-PD test it was 25%. Total ND was 33.3%. For IANT - ND by LT was 66.7%, by BSD 33.3% and by 2-PD it was 55.6%. Total ND was 77.8%. Combined data from both techniques (IANL, IANT) by 2-PD test showed normal function in 61.9% of sites, diminished function in 33.33%, and no function in 4.8%. ND in IANT was bigger that in IANL.
Khajehahmadi et al. [4]	14 IANT 14 IANL	65	100%	For IANT - vitality test showed negative results at 1 week, 1, 3, 6, 12 months follow-up. All had normal values at 1 week before operation. For IANL - only 2 patients (20%) had negative vitality test results for anterior teeth at 1 week follow-up. In both groups, deep numbness of lower lip was observed at 1 week follow-up. After 3 months, lip sensation by 2-PD and static LT was normal in both groups who continued to have hyperesthesia. At 12 months follow-up, the abnormal lip sensation persisted.
Ferrigno et al. [6]	19 IANT	46	95.7%	ND (registered by LT, PT and 2-PD tests) detected was 15.8% (3/19) by LT test, 15.8% (3/19) by PT, and 21% (4/19) by 2-PD test. Total ND was 21.1% (4/19). 9 patients had sensory recovery immediately after local anaesthesia. 10 patients had ND: in 6 cases, a total return of sensation within 1 month, 2 patients did not completely recover until 6 months post-op, 1 patient did not completely recover until 12 months post-op, and 1 patient was still experiencing ND.
Karlis et al. [7]	1 IANT	2	0%	4 weeks post-op patient had pain and moderate oedema on the operated site, and paresthesia on right lower lip and chin. Panoramic X-ray showed radiolucency around posterior implant with no displaced linear fracture through inferior mandibular border. First, closed reduction with maxillo-mandibular fixation was done. After 1 week, open reduction + debridement and internal rigid fixation including removal of both implants was done. Iliac bone graft was placed in the operated site. Normal healing observed after 6 weeks. 6 months later, paresthesia was persisted.
Kan et al. [8]	1 IANT	3	33.33%	3 weeks post-op patient complained of pain in the operated site, clinical examination revealed mandibular body fracture at the two anterior implants area. 2 anterior implants were removed, open reduction + internal fixation with titanium mesh tray was done. Fracture healed without further complications.
Peleg et al. [10]	10 IANL	23	100%	4 patients had sensory recovery immediately after local anaesthesia. 6 patients had hypoesthesia immediately post-op. 5 patients had a total return of sensation during 3 - 4 weeks. 1 patient had a complete recovery after 6 weeks. None of the patients experienced permanent ND.
Del Castillo Pardo et al. [14]	1 IANL	3	100%	Immediately post-op, the patient reported slight paresthesia of left half of the lower lip for few weeks. 6 months after implant placement, lip sensitivity was fully normal, and the patient had no paresthesia or neuralgias.
Proussaefs [15]	1 IANT	5	100%	The patient had only a transient hyperesthesia for 3 months.
Hashemi [16]	11 IANL	-	-	Few complications were detected and IAN function presented in all patients. The average time for temporary anaesthesia was 7.3 days and after 3.3 months, in average, there was a complete recovery of the IAN.
Vasconcelos et al. [17]	1 IANT	2	100%	Complete recovery of the sensitivity 7 months post-op.
Hashemi [18]	110 IANL	-	-	The patients had ND in the first week follow-up: anaesthesia in 81 sites, hypoesthesia in 9 sites, burning in 9 sites, pain in 8 sites, pinching in 2 sites and tickling in 1 site. At 1 month follow-up, ND disappeared in 81 sites (74%). ND was in 12 sites: tickling in 8 sites, burning in 5 and pain in 4. At the end of first month, 9 sites of hypoesthesia returned to normal. At the end of second month, 95 sites returned to normal and ND remained in 15 sites: hypoesthesia in 8 and tickling in 7. After 3 months, ND was reported in 6 sites: hypoesthesia in 3 and tickling in 3. At the end of 6 months the ND was in 3 sites with tickling. 82 patients (94%) were satisfied with the results. The most common ND was anaesthesia (81 sites); least common was pinching (2 sites).
Lorean et al. [19]	68 IANL 11 IANT	232	99.57%	4 patients reported prolonged transient ND immediately post-op (5% of operations). The duration of post surgical ND was for 1 - 6 months, while in other cases for 0 - 4 weeks only. No permanent neural damage. No post-op sensibility of the anterior lower teeth.
Gasparini et al. [20]	49 IANT	-	-	Complications were in 6 cases: 1 case (2.8%) of transient anaesthesia and 5 cases (14.3%) of transient hypoesthesia (spontaneously resolving after 6 months). Among the hypoesthesia cases, 4 were of discriminative type and 1 of thermal type (cold). After 6 months there was a remission of symptoms.
Barbu et al. [23]	11 IANL	32	100%	All patients had transient ND for 2 months. No permanent ND was detected.
Dal Ponte et al. [24]	1 IANT	2	100%	During 7 postoperative days the patient had paresthesia of lower lip with some tingling feeling. Laser applications were performed in the region to help sensitivity recovery.
Suzuki et al. [26]	1 IANL	2	100%	Patient had partial loss of sensitivity of right lower lip 7 days post-op, which was completely improved at 1 month follow-up. The results after loading were satisfactory.
Proussaefs [27]	1 IANT	2	100%	Transient hyperesthesia for 3 months was reported. 3 years post-loading revealed no clinical signs of pathosis (i.e., mobility, probing depth < 3 mm, pain, BOP)

ND = neurosensory disturbances; LT = light touch; 2-PD = two point discrimination; PT = pain test; IANL = inferior alveolar nerve lateralization; IANT = inferior alveolar nerve transposition.