Evaluation of difficulty index for the surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar teeth using two distinct scoring systems by comparing their components to the procedural complexity indicated by the conventional Winter’s WAR lines: A clinico
S Nachiappan, R Deepan, R Cynthia, S Tharanikumar, R Ashok Prasanna, Faris Jaser Almutairi, Abhishek Singh NayyarBACKGROUND:
Surgical removal of impacted teeth is a common procedure performed by maxillofacial surgeons, although, none of the existing classification systems satisfy all the requirements in predicting the surgical difficulties faced during such procedures.
OBJECTIVES:
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of two distinct scoring systems by comparing their components to the procedural complexity indicated by conventional Winter’s WAR lines during the surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar teeth.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The present and cross-sectional study included a total of 254 subjects revealing incomplete root formation of impacted mandibular third molar teeth with panoramic images showing any of the four radiological findings that were the predictors for possible inferior alveolar nerve damage during the conduct of surgical procedure, while the various clinical and radiographic parameters assessed, were subjected to the statistical analysis including Pearson’s correlation coefficient test and
RESULTS:
Most of the clinical and radiographic parameters assessed were found to be closely associated with WHARFE assessment index scoring criteria with the results being statistically significant (
CONCLUSIONS:
Both scoring systems appeared as viable options for evaluating the procedural difficulties faced during the surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar teeth, although under different clinical settings. By incorporating these indices collectively into the preoperative assessment, surgeons can plan and execute the treatment more effectively leading to consistently improved clinical and surgical outcomes.