Evaluation of Third Molars According to the Operative Difficulty Score

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 81 - 84, 15.01.2025

Görkem Tekin , Gizem Çalışkan , Nesrin Saruhan Köse

https://doi.org/10.37990/medr.1561673

Abstract

Aim: Third molars (M3) are the most common type of impacted tooth, and the prevalence of impaction varies between 27% and 68.8%. The aim of this study was to evaluate M3 according to their operative difficulty score and angulation.
Material and Method: A total of 1000 patients who returned to our clinic for M3 extraction were included in the study. Preoperative clinical and radiological operative difficulty scores (ODS) and angulations were evaluated from 0 to 6. Descriptive statistics were performed.
Results: When M3 were evaluated according to ODS, 343 (34.3%) were ODS 1, 106 (10.6%) were ODS 3, 327 (32.7%) were ODS 4, 188 (18.8%) were ODS 5 and 36 (3.6%) were ODS 6. When evaluated according to their angulations, 621 (62.1%) M3 were found in the vertical position, 184 (18.4%) in the mesioangular position, 70 (7%) in the horizontal position, 104 (10.4%) in the distoangular position, and 21 (2.1%) in the buccolingual-palatal position.
Conclusion: This study will allow the evaluation of the level of difficulty before the operation in the surgery of the M3 and the creation of a better treatment plan. Thus, perioperative and postoperative complications can be minimized.

Keywords

Classification, oral surgery, third molar

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