• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.373-382
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• 2021

Purpose: Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) reconstructions were analysed to elucidate factors affecting the anatomical relationship between tooth roots and the mandibular canal(MC). Materials and Methods: Images of 300 volumetric tomography scans of patients aged between 20 and 79 years old (167 women and 133 men) were analysed. The mean distances between 2,053 dental root apices and the internal border of the MC were obtained by measuring the horizontal and vertical distances on coronal CBCT images. The actual distance was then calculated mathematically with the Pythagorean formula. The statistical significance of differences between men and women was assessed using the Mann-Whitney test. Correlations with patient age were evaluated with the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results: The mean distances ranged from 2.17 mm, for single right third molar roots in women, to 8.02 mm for single left third molar mesiolingual roots in men. The mean distances measured for the mandibular right second molar mesial roots and the right second premolar roots were larger in men than in women. Age showed a significant positive correlation with the measured distances for mesial and distal roots of the first and second molar on both sides and the right third molar, mesiolingual roots of the left third molar, and single roots of the right third molar. Conclusion: The root-to-mandibular canal distance depended on age and the type of tooth. In 2 root types, this distance was impacted by sex.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the course of the mandibular canal on panoramic radiography and the visibility of this canal on both panoramic radiography and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: The study consisted of panoramic radiographs and CBCT images from 262 patients. The course of the mandibular canal, as seen in panoramic radiographs, was classified into four types: linear, elliptical, spoon-shaped, and turning curves. The visibility of this canal from the first to the third molar region was evaluated by visually determining whether the mandibular canal was clearly visible, probably visible, or invisible. The visibihlity of the canal on panoramic radiographs was compared with that on CBCT images. Results: Elliptical curves were most frequently observed along the course of the mandibular canal. The percentage of clearly visible mandibular canals was the highest among the spoon-shaped curves and the lowest among the linear curves. On panoramic radiographs, invisible mandibular canals were found in 22.7% of the examined sites in the first molar region, 11.8% in the second molar region, and 1.3% in the third molar region. On CBCT cross-sectional images, the mandibular canal was invisible in 8.2% of the examined sites in the first molar region, 5.7% in the second molar region, and 0.2% in the third molar region. Conclusion: The visibility of this canal was lower in the first molar region than in the third molar region. The mandibular canal presented better visibility on CBCT images than on panoramic radiographs.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.37
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• pp.30.1-30.7
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• 2015

Background: The inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) may be injured during extraction of the mandibular third molar, causing severe postoperative complications. Many methods have been described for evaluating the relative position between the mandibular third molar and the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) on panoramic radiography and computed tomography, but conventional radiography provides limited information on the proximity of these two structures. The present study assessed the benefits of three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) prior to surgical extraction of the mandibular third molar, to prevent IAN damage. Methods: This retrospective study included 4917 extractions in 3555 patients who presented for extraction of the mandibular third molars. The cases were classified into three groups, according to anatomical relationship between the mandibular third molars and the IAC on panoramic radiography and whether 3D-CT was performed. Symptoms of IAN damage were assessed using the touch-recognition test. Data were compared using the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. Results: Among the 32 cases of IAN damage, 6 cases were included in group I (0.35 %, n = 1735 cases), 23 cases in group II (1.1 %, n = 2063 cases), and 3 cases in group III (0.27 %, n = 1119 cases). The chi-square test showed a significant difference in the incidence of IAN damage between groups I and II. No significant difference was observed between groups I and III using Fisher's exact test. In the 6 cases of IAN damage in group I, the mandibular third molar roots were located lingual relative to the IAC in 3 cases and middle relative to the IAC in 3 cases. The overlap was ${\geq}2mm$ in 3 of 6 cases and 0-2 mm in the remaining 3 cases. The mean distance between the mandibular third molar and IAC was 2.2 mm, the maximum distance 12 mm, and the minimum distance 0.5 mm. Greater than 80 % recovery was observed in 15 of 32 (46.8 %) cases of IAN damage. Conclusions: 3D-CT may be a useful tool for assessing the three-dimensional anatomical relationship and proximity between the mandibular third molar and IAC in order to prevent IAN damage during extraction of mandibular third molars.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2015

Objectives: We retrospectively evaluated the impact of mandibular third molars on the occurrence of angle and condyle fractures. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective investigation using patient records and radiographs. The sample set consisted of 440 patients with mandibular fractures. Eruption space, depth and angulation of the third molar were measured. Results: Of the 144 angle fracture patients, 130 patients had third molars and 14 patients did not. The ratio of angle fractures when a third molar was present (1.26 : 1) was greater than when no third molar was present (0.19 : 1; odds ratio, 6.58; P<0.001). Of the 141 condyle fractures patients, the third molar was present in 84 patients and absent in 57 patients. The ratio of condyle fractures when a third molar was present (0.56 : 1) was lower than when no third molar was present (1.90 : 1; odds ratio, 0.30; P<0.001). Conclusion: The increased ratio of angle fractures with third molars and the ratio of condyle fractures without a third molar were statistically significant. The occurrence of angle and condyle fractures was more affected by the continuity of the cortical bone at the angle than by the depth of a third molar. These results demonstrate that a third molar can be a determining factor in angle and condyle fractures.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.209-212
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• 2009

Bifid mandibular canal can be an anatomic variation. This condition can lead to complication when performing mandibular anesthesia or during extraction of lower third molar, placement of implants and surgery in the mandible. Four patients underwent preoperative imaging for extraction of third molars using CBCT (CB Mercuray, Hitachi, Japan). The axial images were processed with CBworks program 2.1 (CyberMed Inc., Seoul, Korea). The branches for supplying the lower third molar were identified mainly on cross-sectional and panoramic images of CBCT. Since the location and configuration of mandibular canal variations are important in any mandibular surgical procedures, we report 4 cases of bifid mandibular canal with panoramic and the CBCT images.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.565-569
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of the presence and impacted state of the mandibular third molars on the incidence of mandibular condyle fracture. A retrospective study was designed for patients presenting to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital and Tae-gu Fatima Hospital for treatment of mandibular fractures from January 2003 to January 2006. The independent variables in this study were the presence, degree of impaction of third molars, and the outcome variables were the incidence of mandibular condyle fractures. Hospital charts and panoramic radiographs were used to determine and classify these variables. The demographic data included age, sex, mechanisms of injuries and number of mandibular condyle fractures. The study sample comprised 136 mandibular condyle fractures in 105 patients. Result of this study demonstrated a statistically significant difference in ipsilateral condyle fractures and mandibular third molar absence(P=0.032) and bilateral condyle fractures without another fracture and mandibular third molar absence(P=0.028).

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.50 no.9
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• pp.566-573
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• 2012

Purpose : This study evaluated the impact of the presence and aspect of mandibular third molars to the mandible angle fracture or condyle fractures in Korean. Materials and Methods : A retrospective study was designed for patients attending the division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kang-dong sacred heart hospital for treatment of mandibular fracture from January 2006 to September 2010. The primary variable was the presence of mandibular third molar and the secondary variable was the aspects of third molar impaction. Mandibular third molars were classified by the impaction depth and the available space as Pell & Gregory system. Outcome variables were the presence of mandibular angle fracture or condyle fracture. Also the source of trauma, age, sex were studied. Hospital charts, radiographs were used for study. Statistic analysis was done with descriptive statistics, the X2-test, linear-by-linear association. P value under 0.05 was considered significant statistically. Results : The number of involved patients was 86. The ratio of male to female patients was about 9:1 for angle fracture and 7:3 for condyle fracture. The most common source of trauma was assault for angle fracture and fall down for condyle fracture. The presence of mandibular third molar increased frequency of angle fracture and decreased condyle fracture with larger impaction depth. But available space of mandibular third molar did not show high association with angle or condyle fractures. Conclusion: Preventive extraction of mandibular third molar is recommended for patients with high risk of angle fracture. Male patients at their third decade or martial artists, police officer could be the case. But it is not recommended for patients with low risk of angle fracture and high risk of condyle fracture relatively. Elder female patients without any symptom on their third molar could be the case.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.217-225
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• 2001

Any fracture passing through the socket of a teeth is compounded intraorally, even if the fracture is not displaced and the tooth is firm in its socket. Before the advent of antibiotic therapy the danger of infection in a compounded fracture posed severe problems in treatment. Infection is reduced by antibiotic therapy but prolonged use of antibiotics is not justified in an attempt to save a tooth which might eventually be sacrificed. There is still controversy in the management of third molar in mandibualr angle fracture, particulary in regard to their retention or removal at the time of fracture treatment. So we surveyed the 159 patients who were treated with open reduction of mandibular angle fracture containing third molar in fracture line, and compared with the postoperative infection rate depending on time intervals between injury and operation, eruption state of third molar, non-extraction or extraction of third molar related to eruption state, non-extraction or extraction of third molar related to condiition of third molar and its surrounding periodontium and were to propose treatment guidline of third molar in mandibular angle fracture The results obtained were as follows : 1. There were no statistical significance between the time from injury to operation and postoperative infection. 2. There were no statistical significance between eruption state of third molar and postoperative infection. 3. In case of retention of the third molar, there were no statistical significance between eruption state of third molar and postoperative infection, but in case of extraction, postoperative infection was high rate in complete impacted cases. 4. There were no statistical significance between non-extraction or extraction of third molar and postoperative infection depending on condition of third molar. There are no difference in infection rate statistically according to the time from injury to operation, eruption state and condition of third molar, but retention of third molar revealed lowered infection rate in completely impacted cases. By terms of the manegement of third molar, we should extract or preserve third molar in the line of the mandibular angle fracture according to possibility of infection.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 1981

The author analyzed the morphological pattern of mandibles and lower third molars in order to study and predict the impaction of the developmental third molars. The subjects consisted of 37 males and 87 females with malocclusion. The following results were obtained: 1. The mandible was shown to be shorter in the impacted third molar group than in the erupted group, both in over-all length and in body length. 2. The developmental mesial angulation of the third molar to the mandibular plane was higher in the impacted third molar group. 3. There was a tendency for impacted third molars to be slightly larger than those which erupted except Class II malocclusion in female. 4. In the available space for the eruption of the third molar, significant space deficiency was found in association with the impacted third molar group compared with the erupted group.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2011

Purpose: Fibrillar collagens like type I collagen, are the major constituent of the extracellular matrix and structural protein of bone. Also, it can be a scaffold for osteoblast migration. The purpose of this study is to estimate the effects of absorbable atelo-collagen sponge (Teruplug$^{(R)}$, Terumo biomaterials Co., Tokyo, Japan) insertion in tooth extraction sites on periodontal healing of the second molar, healing of the fractured mandibular bone and new bone formation of third molar socket after the extraction of the impacted third molar with mandibular angle fracture. Methods: In our study of six cases of mandibular angle fractures, all of them underwent the extraction of the third molar tooth & absorbable atelo-collagen sponge insertion in tooth extraction site. Three of them had a intraoral infection & oral opening to fracture site, two of the six had dental caries, and only one had reduction problem due to third molar position. Six consecutive patients with noncomminuted fractures of the mandibular angle were treated by open reduction and internal fixation using one noncompression miniplates and screws placed through a transoral incision. Results: All of the patients have showed good postoperative functions and have not experienced complications requiring second surgical intervention. There was well healing of the mandibular bone and the most new bone formation of third molar socket after the extraction of the impacted third molar with mandibular angle fracture. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that absorbable atelo-collagen sponge is relatively favorable bone void filler with prevention of tissue collapse, food packing, and enhance periodontal healing. Thus, the use of atelo-collagen sponge and one noncompression miniplate seems to be relatively easy, safe, and effective for the treatment of fractures of the mandibular angle and third molar extraction.