Extraction of mandibular third molars: proposal of a new scale of difficulty

The Use of Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) in the Management of Dry Socket: A Systematic Review

Dry socket or alveolar osteitis is a common postoperative complication following tooth extraction, characterized by severe pain due to the disintegration of the blood clot within the socket. Various factors contribute to its development, such as traumatic extraction, patient age and sex, smoking, and anesthetic use. To mitigate this condition, socket preservation techniques, including the use of bone substitute materials, have been employed. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has emerged as a promising biomaterial, enhancing healing and reducing the incidence of dry socket. Materials and Methods: This systematic review, adhering to the PRISMA guidelines and registered with PROSPERO (ID: CRD 578018), examines the efficacy of PRF in managing dry socket by analyzing studies from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science published between January 2013 and May 2024. Boolean keywords have been used in the search strategy: ("Treatment") AND ("Dry Socket") AND ("Platelet Rich Fibrin" OR "PRF"). A total of 738 publications were found using the electronic database search. After the screening phase, 13 records were chosen for qualitative analysis. The results from multiple clinical trials and comparative studies indicate that PRF significantly reduces postoperative pain, expedites healing, and lowers the incidence of Alveolar Osteitis. Despite promising results, further large-scale, randomized studies are needed to validate PRF as a standard treatment for dry socket.

Estimating the Extraction Time of an Upper Third Molar: Proposal and Validation of Results

Background: Numerous studies in the literature have aimed to evaluate the difficulty level of removing third molars. However, most of these studies have focused on the lower third molars, which can lead to complications. There is a lack of a method to determine the complexity of upper third molar extraction. Therefore, this study's objective was to develop an equation using multiple linear regression to estimate the extraction time of an upper third molar based on its complexity. Methods: This study involved patients enrolled in the Master of Oral Surgery program at the University of Seville. To determine their relationship with surgical time, the researchers analyzed various factors, such as depth, root morphology, and the need for odontosection. They then validated their findings by studying patients treated at Palmaplanas Hospital in Mallorca. Results: The cohort analysis from the University of Seville revealed significant associations between surgical time and the identified factors. A regression equation design was performed to predict the total duration of surgical intervention for wisdom teeth extraction. This equation incorporates several independent variables, represented by Xi, together with a constant term, C, and the corresponding coefficients, Bi, which weight the impact of each variable on the intervention time. The results are as follows: -0.312 (spatial relationship), 0.651 (depth), -0.443 (bone and mucosa integrity), 0.214 (roots), -0.745 (ostectomy), 0.713 (odontosection), and -0.426 (suture). Upon application of the statistical methodology to the Palmaplanas Hospital cohort, a regression coefficient of 0.770 was determined. This indicates a strong correlation between the input data and the estimated surgical time. Conclusions: In conclusion, the proposed formula demonstrates notable validity in predicting the surgical time required to extract upper third molars.

Concordance Analysis of Lower Third Molar Surgery Classifications: A Comparative Study

The high frequency and complexity of mandibular third molar (M3M) surgery have led several authors to the development of classification systems for better evaluation and management in oral surgery. This study compared the classifications of Juodzabalys and Daugela et al. (JD), Sammartino et al., Chang et al., Jhamb et al., Maglione et al., and Nemsi et al. to understand the concordance between the scores of M3M surgery. Two types of analysis were conducted: the relationship between the M3M and the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), and the overall difficulty score based on the tooth's angulation and its spatial position with the adjacent structure. The analysis of the classifications on the relationship between M3M and IAN resulted in a concordance of 26.1%. In the pairwise comparisons, the classifications of Nemsi et al. and Jhamb et al. showed the highest concordance of 59.5%. Analyzing the total scores difficulty, the JD et al., Chang et al., and Sammartino et al. classifications demonstrated a concordance level of 25.5%. A pairwise assessment revealed a higher concordance degree between the classifications of Sammartino et al. and Chang et al. (57.4%). The results highlight the limits in establishing a comprehensive and objective classification for the surgical difficulty of M3M, possibly attributed to variations in the methodology for computing total scores. An objective, automated, and non-operator-dependent classification method for assessing the surgical difficulty of M3M is still needed.

Pattern, frequency and causes of tooth extraction among adult Syrian refugees

AIMS OR OBJECTIVES

The Syrian crisis has resulted in a significant impact on refugee oral health status, but the scientific literature lacks information characterizing the pattern of tooth extraction in refugees.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The current study analyzed the pattern of tooth extraction and the associated sociodemographic factors among 626 (53.4% females, 46.6% males) Syrian refugees who were treated in dental clinics in the Zaatari camp. All adult Syrian refugees attending the dental unit at Zaatari camp were eligible to participate. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected from the study sample using a validated semi-structured survey over a period of 4 months. Descriptive statistics were generated and Chi-square test, independent sample t-test, ANOVA test and Bonferroni Post Hoc test were used to examine associations between the different variables.

RESULTS

More than one third of the attendees (33.9%) were young adults (18-29 years), and nearly two thirds (69.8%) had no or very basic education. The mean number of teeth that needed extraction was (1.46 ± 0.84) and was significantly higher in males, smokers, older patients, and those with no or basic education. The most common cause for tooth extraction was dental caries (54.8%), followed by tooth fracture/un-restorability (38.5%), and periodontitis (3.4%); while the least common reason was tooth extraction for orthodontic treatment (0.20%).

CONCLUSIONS

Dental caries and its sequelae were the leading cause of tooth extraction in this refugee population. Molar teeth were found to be the most frequently extracted and lower anteriors were the least. Older age, smoking, patients with lower educational level, poor oral hygiene and male gender all predispose to a higher incidence of tooth extractions.

Level of difficulty of tooth extractions among roughly 100,000 procedures in primary care

OBJECTIVES

The study examined treatment codes of extracted teeth and aimed to assess degree of difficulty concerning all tooth extractions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective data on treatment codes of all tooth extractions during a two-year period were obtained from the patient register in primary oral healthcare of the City of Helsinki, Finland. Prevalence, indication, and method of extraction appeared in the treatment codes (EBA-codes). Degree of difficulty was determined from the method and classified as non-operative or operative and as routine or demanding. Statistics included frequencies, percentages, and χ2 test.

RESULTS

Total number of extraction procedures was 97,276, including 121,342 extracted teeth. The most frequent procedure was a routine extraction of a tooth with forceps (55%, n = 53,642). The main reason for extraction was caries (27%, n = 20,889). Of the extractions, 79% (n = 76,435) were non-operative, 13% (n = 12,819) operative, and 8% (n = 8,022) multiple extractions in one visit. Level of difficulty was distributed as routine non-operative (63%), demanding non-operative (15%), routine operative (12%), demanding operative (2%), and multiple extractions (8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Two-thirds of all tooth extractions in primary care were relatively simple. However, 29% of procedures were classified as demanding.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

As earlier methods for assessing level of difficulty were aimed at third molars alone, an analysis was presented for all tooth extractions. This approach may be useful for research purposes, and the profile of tooth extractions and their difficulty level may be practical also for decision-makers in primary care.

Mandibular third molar extraction: perceived surgical difficulty in relation to professional training

BACKGROUND

Establishing the level of surgical difficulty pre-operatively is an essential step in ensuring correct treatment planning. This study set out to determine whether the knowledge and experience acquired by dentists who had received different levels of training influenced, firstly, the perceived levels of difficulty of a variety of cases of mandibular third molar (MTM) extraction and, secondly, the perceived difficulty deriving from a series of factors (patient-related factors, anatomical and radiographic factors, operative factors).

METHODS

This cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study took the form of a survey. Using a visual analog scale (VAS), participants evaluated both the perceived difficulty of 30 cases of MTM extraction described by means of digital panoramic radiographs and the perceived difficulty deriving from a series of factors conditioning MTM extraction. The results underwent statistical analysis with SPSS Statistics 28.0 software. Non-parametric tests (Mann Whitney test for independent samples and the Kruskal-Wallis test) were applied.

RESULTS

A total of 389 surveys were available for analysis. Dental practioners with no surgical training saw the intervention as presenting greater difficulty. Professionals with postgraduate training in oral surgery considered patient-related factors more important than operative factors, in contrast to dentists who had not received oral surgery training.

CONCLUSIONS

Dental training has a signficant influence on the perceived difficulty of MTM extraction and also affects opinions about which factors have greater or lesser influence on surgical difficulty.

Reliability of two difficulty indexes in predicting the surgical extraction difficulty of impacted mandibular third molars

Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the reliability and the agreement of the Pederson and Pernambuco difficulty indexes in predicting the surgical extraction difficulty of the impacted mandibular third molars. Materials and methods: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted on 83 patients who had undergone surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar. The difficulty of extraction was determined preoperatively according to the total scores obtained from the Pederson and Pernambuco difficulty indexes, the operative difficulty was determined by the surgical technique and the duration of extraction. The accuracy of prediction of the surgical difficulty and the degree of agreement of the two indexes were calculated. Results: The accuracy of Pederson and Pernambuco indexes in predicting the operative difficulty measured by duration of surgery was 36.1% and 55.4% respectively, and with operative difficulty measured by the technique was 21.7% and 37.3% respectively with statistically significant differences. The agreement between the 2 indexes was poor. Conclusion: Both indexes were limited in predicting the surgical difficulty of impacted mandibular third molars although the Pernambuco index was better than the Pederson index and the agreement between the two indexes was poor.

Review of Difficulty Indices for Removal of Impacted Third Molars and a New Classification of Difficulty Indices

BACKGROUND

A number of efforts have been made to establish a reliable assessment model for the surgical removal of impacted third molars. Although many such models have been proposed, none is considered universally applicable, and controversy remains. The earlier attempts were based exclusively on radiographic variables, whereas recent evidence is associated with nonradiographic and demographic variables.

PURPOSE

This article aimed to prepare review of the relevant literature to summarize the important indices given till date, tabulating only new indices as old indices are mentioned in almost all text books, their merits and demerits and their specificity and sensitivity (if assessed in the literature). In addition to it, authors also aimed to introduce a new descriptive classification of all indices based on pre- and postoperative assessment and further classify based on clinical, radiographic and demographic factors, surgical technique and time. This article will be of academic and practical help for residents and clinicians.

METHOD

A literature search was conducted in Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Cochrane electronic database with keywords-impacted mandibular third molar, difficulty indices, validity of, sensitivity, specificity. No publication year limit was used. The abstracts of the articles were retrieved, reviewed and sorted based on the following inclusion and exclusion criteria. Articles which include a new index, validate difficulty index, compare two or more difficulty indices, specificity and sensitivity of particular index are included. Duplicate articles, articles on complication, flap design, drug study, radiographic relation of inferior alveolar nerve, suturing, classification, only assessing factor affecting difficulty of third molar surgery are not included.

RESULTS

Total 39 (36 articles + 3 books) are included. A total of 20 individual indices were found in the literature; each has been described in brief in this review. These indices are also listed in chronological order with their specificity and sensitivity if accessed in the literature.

CONCLUSION

There is a definite need to derive and validate an user-friendly index that could be used for preoperative prediction of difficulty. To the best of our knowledge, this review including all indices till date and classification proposed is the first on this subject.

Development and validation of a difficulty index for mandibular third molars with extraction time

Objectives

This study aimed to validate the effectiveness of a recently proposed difficulty index for removal of impacted mandibular third molars based on extraction time and suggest a modified difficulty index including the presence of pathologic conditions associated with third molars.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study enrolled 65 male patients younger than 25 years with third molars. Extraction time was calculated from start of the incision to the last suture. The difficulty scores for third molars were based on spatial relationship (1-5 points), depth (1-4 points), and ramus relationship (1-3 points) using cone-beam computed tomography. The difficulty index was defined as follows I (3-4 points), II (5-7 points), III (8-10 points), and IV (11-12 points). The modified difficulty score was calculated by adding one point to the difficulty score if the third molar was associated with a pathologic condition. Two modified difficulty indices, based on the presence of pathologic conditions, were as follows the half-level up difficulty index (HDI) and the one-level up difficulty index (ODI) from the recently proposed difficulty index.

Results

The correlations between extraction time and difficulty index and or modified difficulty indices were significant (P<0.001). The correlation coefficient between extraction time and difficulty index was 0.584. The correlation coefficients between extraction time and HDI and ODI were 0.728 and 0.764, respectively.

Conclusion Extraction time of impacted third molars exhibited a moderate correlation with difficulty index and was strongly correlated with the modified indices. Considering the clinical implications, the difficulty index of surgical extraction should take into consideration the pathologic conditions associated with third molars.

Prognosis for the impacted lower third molars: Panoramic reconstruction versus tomographic images

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this cross-sectional accuracy study was to compare panoramic reconstruction (PR) and multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) images, which are used to establish the prognosis for impacted mandibular third molars in relation to professional decision making.

STUDY DESIGN

Images of 10 patients who had undergone cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) examination were selected, resulting in 2 distinct groups of images, with 10 in each group: PR and MPR. To check prognostic accuracy, 2 images from each group were randomly selected and reinserted into the sample, totaling 24 images. A questionnaire was completed by 54 professionals: 27 orthodontists and 27 oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFSs). Data were evaluated by using the χ² and McNemar's tests and Kappa statistics at P < .05.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences when isolated PR images were compared with MPR images by orthodontists (P = .72) or OMFSs (P = .45). However, there were significant differences in the professional decision regarding the prognosis for impacted teeth, where OMFSs indicated the need for more extractions compared with orthodontists (P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

There are no differences between PR and multiplanar CBCT images with regard to the determination of the prognosis for impacted mandibular third molars. However, there was a difference in the decision making between the different specialties.

A Validated Model to Predict Postoperative Symptom Severity After Mandibular Third Molar Removal

PURPOSE

The individualized prediction of postoperative symptom severity is essential for selecting interventions after mandibular third molar (M3M) removal. The purpose of the present study was to develop and validate a nomogram for personal prediction of postoperative symptom severity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective cohort study was performed in the Stomatology Hospital of Tianjin Medical University. The sample was divided into training and testing data sets by time. The demographic, anatomic, radiographic, and operative variables were recorded. The self-reported postoperative symptom severity was recorded and defined as the primary outcome variable. Stepwise forward algorithms were applied to informative predictors based on Akaike's information criterion. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to develop the nomogram. An independent testing data set was used to validate the nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test were used to assess model performance. P < .05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.

RESULTS

The sample included 321 subjects who had undergone M3M removal. An independent validation data set included 103 consecutive patients. The median operation time was 15.0 minutes (interquartile range, 8.3 to 21.6 minutes) in the training data set (n = 218). Patients with serious postoperative symptoms accounted for 48.6 and 47.6% of the training and testing data sets, respectively. Gender, age, smoking status, operation time, Pell-Gregory ramus classification, and preoperative symptoms were identified as predictors and assembled into the nomogram. The area under curve demonstrated adequate discrimination in the validation data set (0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.59 to 0.80). The nomogram was well calibrated, with a Hosmer-Lemeshow χ² statistic of 6.33 (P = .78) in the testing data set. The confusion matrix was also summarized, and the accuracy was 63.3 and 65.1% in the training and testing data set, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study has proposed an effective nomogram with potential application in facilitating the individualized prediction of postoperative symptom severity after M3M removal.

Modified difficult index adding extremely difficult for fully impacted mandibular third molar extraction

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the existing classification and difficulty index of impacted mandibular third molars in clinical situations and propose a more practical classification system.

Materials and Methods

This study included 204 impacted mandibular third molars in 154 patients; panoramic x-ray images were obtained before tooth extraction. Factors including age, sex, and pattern of impaction were investigated. All impacted third molars were classified and scored for spatial relationship (1–5 points), depth (1–4 points), and ramus relationship (1–3 points). All variables were measured twice by the same observer at a minimum interval of one month. Finally, the difficulty index was defined based on the total points scored as slightly difficult (3–4 points), moderately difficult (5–7 points), very difficult (8–10 points), and extremely difficult (11–12 points).

Results

The strength of agreement of the total points scored and difficulty index were 0.855 and 0.746, respectively. Most cases were classified as moderately difficult (73.0%). Although only 13 out of 204 cases (6.4%) were classified as extremely difficult, patients classified as extremely difficult were the oldest (P<0.05).

Conclusion

For difficulty classification, the authors propose one more difficult category beyond the existing three-step difficulty index: the clinician should consider the patient's age in the difficulty index evaluation.

Patient, radiological, and operative factors associated with surgical difficulty in the extraction of third molars: a systematic review

The aim of this systematic review was to determine the patient, radiological, and operative variables associated with surgical difficulty in the extraction of third molars, according to a visual analogue scale completed by the surgeon, operative time, or surgical technique. Searches of the PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were conducted by two independent reviewers. Randomized and non-randomized clinical trials and prospective cohort studies evaluating surgical difficulty in the extraction of impacted mandibular or maxillary third molars according to patient, radiological, and operative variables were included. The full texts of 21 of the 859 articles initially retrieved were analysed, and 15 articles were included in the final systematic review. All 15 reported prospective cohort studies. The following variables were found to be on the spectrum of highly difficult or complex cases: older patient age and being overweight (patient variables), surgeons with little experience and the use of complex surgical techniques requiring tooth sectioning linked to hard tissue impaction (operative variables), and adverse radiological factors such as deep impaction, unfavourable angulation and root morphology, and a close relationship with the second molar, maxillary sinus, or the inferior alveolar nerve canal (radiological variables).

Does Mandibular Gonial Angle Predict Difficulty of Mandibular Third Molar Removal?

PURPOSE

Predicting the difficulty of impacted mandibular third molar (IM3M) removal remains a controversial issue because many variables have been associated with increased operation time. Thus, the main objective of this study was to assess the influence of the gonial angle on the surgical difficulty of IM3M extraction.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective cohort study of patients requiring IM3M removal was conducted. The gonial angle measured with a goniometer was considered the primary predictor variable. The primary outcome variable was operation time. Difficulty also was recorded by surgeons using a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). Postoperative complications (pain, swelling, and trismus at 48 hours and 7 days) were registered as secondary outcome variables. A descriptive bivariate statistical analysis, Pearson correlations and scatter plots, and an explanatory multiple linear regression model were performed. Significance was set at P < .05.

RESULTS

The sample comprised 60 participants (17 men and 43 women) with a mean age of 25.2 years (standard deviation, 7.1 years). No significant correlations were found between the gonial angle and operation time, VAS difficulty score, and postoperative complications. Regression analysis confirmed this lack of effect of the gonial angle. The operation time was significantly affected by surgical experience (P = .016) and patient age (P = .009), whereas the 100-mm VAS difficulty score was only related to surgical experience (P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The gonial angle is not related to the surgical difficulty of IM3M removal. Moreover, this variable is not associated with the occurrence of postoperative complications. According to the findings in this cohort, surgical experience and patient age are the only variables significantly related to increased operation time.

Complicaciones quirúrgicas y posquirúrgicas en la exodoncia de terceros molares inferiores: estudio retrospectivo

Introducción: el tercer molar es el último diente en erupcionar en la secuencia de la dentición permanente, el cual concluye el proceso de formación en edades comprendidas entre los 16 a los 25 años. En ocasiones la vía de erupción de estos puede presentar alteraciones en su posición, ocasionando discrepancias y patologías al paciente. Objetivo: establecer las complicaciones quirúrgicas y posquirúrgicas más frecuentes y su relación con la posición radiográfica en terceros molares mandibulares en pacientes intervenidos quirúrgicamente en una Clínica Universitaria de la ciudad de Medellín, durante el periodo junio de 2016 a junio de 2017. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo de análisis retrospectivo, donde se evaluaron 206 historias clínicas de pacientes atendidos en el servicio de cirugía oral para procedimientos de exodoncias quirúrgicas de terceros molares inferiores. Resultados: en términos de las complicaciones no se presentaron hemorragias intraoperatorias. Las complicaciones intraoperatorias reportadas hacen referencia a instrumentos rotatorios fracturados 0,5% (n= 1) y laceración de tejidos blandos durante la cirugía 0,5% (n= 1). Para las complicaciones posquirúrgicas se encontraron hemorragia y dehiscencia de la herida 0,5% (n= 1), edema 0,5% (n= 1) e injurias al tejido blando en la zona quirúrgica 0,5% (n= 1). Los demás pacientes no reportaron ninguna complicación quirúrgica o posquirúrgica. Conclusiones: las complicaciones quirúrgicas y posquirúrgicas tienen una prevalencia baja en la institución universitaria. No se encontró relación directa en cuanto a una variable específica con algún tipo de complicación.