Magnetic resonance imaging-a diagnostic tool for postoperative evaluation of dental implants: a case report.

OBJECTIVE: Compared with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might be superior for the diagnosis of nerve lesions associated with implant placement. STUDY DESIGN: A patient presented with unilateral pain associated with dysesthesia in the region of the right lower lip and chin after implant placement. Conventional orthopantomography could not identify an association between the position of the inferior alveolar nerve and the implant. For 3-dimensional display of the implant in relation to the surrounding anatomy, CBCT was compared with MRI. RESULTS: MRI enabled the precise depiction of the implant position and its spatial relation to the inferior alveolar nerve, whereas the nerve position and its exact course within the mandible could not be directly displayed in CBCT. CONCLUSION: MRI may be a valuable, radiation-free diagnostic tool for the visualization of intraoral hard and soft tissues, offering an objective assessment of nerve injuries by a direct visualization of the inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle.