Question

"Patient: Female, 27 year old

Chief complaint: Patient: ""I have pain on my wisdom teeth ""
Background/or patient history: Patient reports pain on third molars, which is more significant on the mandibular right third molar and maxillary left third molars. There is no history of extraction of third molars.
Current Findings: on clinical evaluation, teeth # 1 and #16 have erupted. Tooth #17 is impacted. Part of the crown of tooth #32 is erupted in the mouth. The tissue overlying the crown appears to be inflamed.

Which nerve innervates the taste buds on the structure noted with a white arrow in the attached image?
a. CN X
b. CN V2
c. CN IX
d. CN VII"

Answer 1

The nerve responsible for innervating the taste buds on the tongue where the wisdom teeth are located is the facial nerve (CN VII).

Step-by-step explanation:

The nerve that innervates the taste buds on the tongue is the CN VII, which is the facial nerve. The facial nerve is responsible for the sense of taste in the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. Wisdom teeth, which are the third molars, might require dental attention such as orthodontic surgery if they are impacted, as they can cause discomfort and inflammation as noted in the patient's description of her symptoms.

When these teeth are located in the lower jaw, the mandibular foramen is of clinical significance because anesthetics are typically injected near this area to numb the lower teeth prior to dental procedures.