Inferior alveolar nerve

Looks like

A branch of the mandibular nerve that enters a canal inside the lower jaw and runs under the lower teeth.

What it does

Brings feeling from all lower teeth, and via the mental nerve from the lower lip and chin.

Keeping it well

Numbed for lower dental work. Wisdom-tooth removal or implants can injure it, leaving a numb lip — report it early.

Its parts

• Mental nerve
• Nerve to mylohyoid muscle

Related conditions

• Amyloidosis (AL and ATTR)
• Botulism
• Chickenpox (varicella)
• Chronic neuropathic pain
• Chronic pain syndrome
• Cluster headache
• Cold sores (herpes simplex)
• Fibromyalgia
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Lyme disease
• Migraine
• Myasthenia gravis
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Rabies
• Restless legs syndrome
• Shingles (herpes zoster)
• Tetanus
• Trigeminal neuralgia
• Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies