Analysis of the Degree of Surgical Difficulty of Lower Third Molars in a Population of Cusco – Peru: A Cross-Sectional Study

The evaluation of the complexity of the location of the lower third molars is essential prior to performing surgical procedures, which is a crucial component in the planning, execution and supervision of the same, contributing to a high quality clinical care. This research focuses on the evaluation of various cases of third molars by Pell & Gregory classification using panoramic radiographs a cross-sectional design research was conducted, in which 470 panoramic radiographs of the year 2023 were analyzed. A convenience sample of 170 panoramic radiographs was used under selection criteria, the subtracted evidenced that, after the application of the chi-square test yielded a 14.216 with a p-value of 0.076, at a confidence interval of 95%, indicating that the level of complexity is low. These results are of interest to dentists and maxillofacial surgeons because knowing the degree of difficulty allows for optimal planning and also provides information that in our context there is no relationship between the level of complexity in relation to age and sex.

KEY WORDS: third molars, radiography, oral surgical procedures, Pell & Gregory, diagnostic imaging, surgical complexity.