facial nerves -- cranial or cervical?

Sensation to the face comes from cranial nerve V -- the trigeminal nerve. Specifically, the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve (V3) innervates the skin in the area you mentioned. I'm not sure I would implicate the cranial nerves if you have symmetric numbness around the mouth. That would require a hit to both V3 branches.

The perioral area is supplied by cranial nerve V, the facial nerve. However, if your numbness is bilateral (both sides of the mouth), it is highly unlikely to be any condition involving the cranial nerves. Unless you happen to have had a brainstem stroke or injury, which is doubtful if you are also alive, it is unlikely to be related to the facial nuclei either.

And no, you definitely don't have trigeminal neuralgia. Perioral numbness is _sometimes_ a prodromal or postdromal symptom of a cold sore outbreak (herpesvirus).

As always, discuss these and any questions with your doctor.

A cranial nerve called the trigeminal, two branches of which innervate the upper and lower lip.

The facial nerve is the seventh (VII) of twelve paired cranial nerves.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/wnor/cranialnerves.h...

Cranial, that is why one of the first symptoms of a stroke is a crooked smile.

you may have what my aunt has. its called trigeminal neralgia. also known as TN. there is no cure for it. good luck