Summary
The aim of this study was to determine the validity of a new difficulty index for the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. This is a descriptive, comparative and cross-sectional study. It was carried out at the Clinica Estomatológica of the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo – Peru, during the year 2015. The sample consisted of 42 ASA I patients, from 18 to 65 years old, with an indication for extraction of an asymptomatic impacted mandibular third molar, with complete clinical crown. Each patient signed an informed consent in order to participate in the study. Before performing the extraction, each patient was assessed their degree of surgical difficulty according to the Winter-Pell and Gregory classification and the new difficulty index proposed. For the comparison of the degree of difficulty between the indices with the number of complications, the surgical difficulty between the indices with the actual surgical difficulty and the surgical time between the indices; the Chi-square statistical test, the Mc Nemar Test and the Student’s T test were used, respectively. Statistical significance was 5 %. When comparing the indices with the actual degree of difficulty, it was found that there is a highly significant statistical difference (p < 0.001). When carrying out the sensitivity and specificity tests of both indices, it was found that the new index and the Winter-Pell and Gregory index had a sensitivity of 100 % and 55 % and a specificity of 10 % and 100 %, respectively. It is concluded that the new index proposed in this study more accurately predicts the surgical difficulty of extractions of impacted mandibular third molars.
KEY WORDS: Extraction, Third molar, Surgical difficulty, Index.
How to cite this article
PRADA-VIDARTE, O. E.; REÁTEGUI-NAVARRO, M. & ARBILDO-VEGA, H. Validation of a new difficulty index for impacted mandibular third molars. Int. J. Odontostomat., 17(4):457-462, 2023.
