Year : 2020

Volume : Volume 11

Issue : Issue 3

Address for correspondence :
Dr. Vikas Ranjan.
drvikashomdr@rediffmail.com

Abstract

Background:  Knowledge of the radiographic relationship of impacted mandibular third molar with inferior alveolar canal is important for assessing the risk during its surgical removal. The aim of this study was to compare the right and left side true and false relationship and distance of impacted mandibular third molar roots with inferior alveolar canal.  Materials and methods: 350 panoramic radiographs (194 male and 156 females; 20-60 years) were evaluated with total of 585 impaction of mandibular third molar.  Impactions were categorized in to left and right side and the radiographs were interpreted for gender predominance, age groups predominance, radiographic distance between impacted mandibular third molars to inferior alveolar canal and presence of one or more of the eleven radiographic true and false relationships of impacted mandibular third molar roots with inferior alveolar canal.  Results:  The data tabulated was subjected to Chi-square test for statistical analysis. The gender distribution among various age group was statistically significant with its p value 0.04 and the association between age group and side of distribution was statistically significant with its p value 0.021 and 0.015 for unilateral and bilateral impaction. The overall mean distance from the impacted mandibular third molars to inferior alveolar canal was 0.7445mm. Most of the samples extended beyond the superior border of the inferior alveolar canal. Inverted impactions were found to be in the close proximity (-4.47 mm) to inferior alveolar canal than any other type. For true relationship interruption of white line and in the interruption of white line, vertical impactions were the most common impactions. For false relationship adjacent and in the adjacent category, vertical impactions were the most common impactions. Interruption of the white line was most common true relation on right and left side and Adjacent was most common false relation on right and left side. Conclusion: It can be concluded that panoramic radiographs are reliable in assessing the proximity of impacted mandibular third molars to inferior alveolar canal. Inverted and vertical impactions are more closely placed to inferior alveolar canal and interruption of the white line is the most common true relationship on the panoramic radiographs.

Keywords: Panoramic radiographs, Inferior alveolar canal, Impacted mandibular third molars, True and false relationship.