A patient complains of persistent numbness of the chain, lower lip, and lower teeth. She fuher indicates that she difficulty chewing. Radiographic studies of the head demonstrated a small discrete mass in the infratemporal fossa. which nerve has been compromised by the mass

While running in the mandibular canal the inferior alveolar nerve gives branches that supply the lower teeth and gums. The mental nerve emerges at the mental foramen and supplies the skin of the chin, and the skin and mucous membrane of the lower lip. Its incisive branch supplies the labial aspect of gums of canine and incisor teeth. Any damage to inferior alveolar nerve may cause neuralgic pain, which may be referred to the areas of distribution of the buccal and auriculotemporal nerves. If the nerve is paralyzed, the area supplied by the mental nerve becomes insensitive. Ref: BD Chaurasia's HUMAN ANATOMY, Volume 3, 4th edition.