Nerve repostioning is performed in cases where bone has been severly resorbed ( diminished in quantity ), mostly due to age related changes.

A good majority of patients going in for Complete Dentures have a very thin mandible ( lower jaw bone ) thus the nerve that runs within the bone comes to lie very close to the surface. This causes pain & burning sensation whenever there's pressure exerted on the area.

If such a patient wants to go in for Implants the nerve position interferes with implant placement & thus has to be surgically shifted out & placed in a newly created bony tunnel / cavity.

The surgery is a minor one & carried out under Local / General Anesthesia with no untoward side effects.