Evaluation of demographic and radiological risk factors for assessment of difficulty in surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar – A prospective study.

Abstract

The extraction of impacted third molars is among the most common surgical procedures carried out in the field of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Both the patient and dentist must therefore have scientific evidence-based information concerning the estimated level of surgical difficulty of every case to consider in referring cases of impacted third molars for specialists’ handling. We have undertaken a study in which demographic and radiological variables were considered together to evaluate the risk factors for surgical difficulty in a cohort of 100 impacted mandibular third molars. There were 13 variables evaluated for surgical difficulty. Total surgical time intervention was noted at the end of each surgery. Each variable was analysed with total surgical time intervention with univariate and multiple linear regression. Out of 13 variables, 9 were found statistically significant. The most significant predictors for surgical difficulty were Body Mass Index, Depth of impacted tooth and Retromolar space. No postoperative complications were reported.