Molar Position and Surgical Time in Lower Third Molar Extraction

Abstract

The aim of this research was to find the influence of lower third molar position in surgical time required for extraction of this molar. A prospective study was designed in patients at the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Universidad de La Frontera. Patients with ASA I and II and without oral diseases as aggressive periodontitis and oral infections were included. The third molar position was established in relation to Pedersen scale, Winter scale and Pell and Gregory scale, considering surgical time between the start of surgery and finalization of the procedure; data analyses was carried out with t test with statisticaldifferences when p<0.05. Surgical time of 12±9 minutes was registered, and this was statistically associated to dental position and difficulty observed. It is therefore concluded that the position of the molar has an influence on surgical time.