Nerve Damage Risks for Wisdom Teeth Removal

I am signed up for a dental study about impacted wisdom teeth. I went in to see the oral surgen that they have working for them and he said that I was at a high risk for nerve damage on my right side and at a medium risk on my left. I have been trying to decide if the surgery is worth the risk.
If I choose not to participate in the study, what could be done to lower the risk of nerve damage?
If I did go through with the surgery, what are the chances that the nerve damage would be permanent?