Orthopantomogrphic pre-surgical assessment of mandibular third molar teeth form and structures using surgical findings as a gold standard

Abstract EN

Background : Mandibular third molars are the most frequently impacted teeth in human and their surgical extraction has become one of the commonest dentoalveolar surgeries.

Accurate assessment of the position and morphology of the mandibular third molars is necessary to make a sound decision about the proposed surgical procedure.

Today, orthopantomography is the imaging method of choice to provide information for adequate assessment of the impacted lower third molars, the related teeth, anatomical features, and the surrounding bone.

The aim of this study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of orthopantomographic view compared with postsurgical removal clinical finding in assessing the crown position, number and morphology of roots of the impacted lower third molar. Materials and methods : Total sample of 50 patients (25 males and 25 females), age range from 19 to 35 years old with impacted lower third molars assessed radiographically by using Standardized orthopantomography for evaluation of crown position and roots number and morphology in comparison with surgical findings. Results : According to the data obtained in this study, the comparison between the radiographic interpretation and the clinical findings revealed a complete agreement for crown position (100 % K- value) while based on roots number the (K –value was 0.7, 10.66, 0.80) for teeth with one, two and complex roots respectively and according to roots morphology (K –value was 0.64, 0.67, 0.81) for normal, fused and dilacerated roots respectively with more frequent false negative findings Conclusion : Although Orthopantomograph have a reasonable diagnostic value in the preoperative evaluation of the impacted lower third molars, but for more precise information modern radiographic modalities is advised to be used.