Evaluation of post-operative outcomes of longitudinal and cross-sectional odontectomy in surgical removal of mesioangular impacted mandibular third molars – A prospective study

Abstract

Surgical removal of the mandibular third molar is a routine procedure done in dental office. It is associated with various intra operative and post-operative complications. The purpose of the prospective study was to compare the longitudinal and cross-sectional methods of odontectomy in the surgical removal of mesioangular impacted mandibular third molars and to evaluate the difference in duration of surgery and post-operative complications between the two techniques.This prospective study was conducted over a period of 18 months after institutional ethical clearance was obtained.Fifty patients with mesioangular impacted mandibular third molars were selected and treated with cross-sectional tooth sectioning (n= 25) and longitudinal tooth sectioning (n=25) by random allocation. Clinical parameters such as pre and post-operative maximal mouth opening, post-operative edema, time taken for the procedure to be completed and post-operative pain were used to compare and evaluate the outcomes of both the techniques in our study. The significance of difference between qualitative variables and quantitative variables were assessed using chi square test and unpaired t test respectively.Longitudinal tooth sectioning consumed significantly less time than cross sectional tooth cutting (P<0.05). Edema (P<0.05) was found to be significantly less amongst the group that underwent longitudinal sectioning of the tooth. In disimpaction of mesioangular impacted mandibular third molars, longitudinal sectioning of the tooth was associated with less incidence of edema and consumed less duration than cross-sectional odontectomy.Longitudinal tooth sectioning of impacted mandibular third molars provide better results compared to the cross-sectional tooth sectioning as it is relatively quick and yields favorable post-operative outcome, hence being adoptable by any dental practitioner for disimpaction.