Tomografia computadorizada cone beam no diagnóstico e planejamento do tratamento cirúrgico de terceiros molares inferiores.

Abstract

Lower third molar extractions are a common surgical practice in dental surgeon clinics and require proper diagnosis and preoperative planning, since this procedure tends to be the main cause of permanent sensory deficiencies of the inferior alveolar nerve. The closeness diagnostic exam between lower third molars and inferior alveolar nerve is most commonly executed through panoramic radiography, allowing a two-dimensional image that might be clinically challenging, since the buccal-lingual relation is not shown. Hence, cone beam computed tomography may be used to obtain a more precise and clear three-dimensional image. This literature review aims to clarify whether the use of computed tomography provides more reliability to the surgeon in third molars surgical treatment, establish its accuracy in the prevention of inferior alveolar nerve injury in third molar extractions and promote the use this advent in preventing the inferior alveolar nerve injuries in third molar extractions.