Oral Surgery & Extractions
Numbness after local anaesthetic
When numbness lingers longer than expected, and what it means.
What
Lingering numbness
Cause
Nerve irritation
Outlook
Usually recovers
Care
Mind hot food & biting
Overview
Occasionally, numbness or an altered, tingling feeling in the lip, chin or tongue lasts beyond the usual few hours after an injection or procedure — this is called paraesthesia. It happens when a nearby nerve is irritated or bruised, and in the large majority of cases it recovers on its own over days to weeks.
Common questions
Why does it happen?
It can follow an injection, a lower wisdom tooth removal, or surgery near a nerve. It usually reflects irritation or bruising rather than damage.
Will the feeling come back?
Usually yes. Most cases resolve over days to weeks; some take a few months. A small number are longer lasting, which is why we assess the risk beforehand.
What should I do meanwhile?
Take care with hot food and drink and when biting, as the area may not feel normal. Let us know if it isn't steadily improving.
Dr Rick Iskandar · Reviewed June 2026