It is reported that the frequency of lingual nerve damage varies depending on the impaction pattern of the mandibular third molar, and that a relatively high frequency of lingual nerve damage occurs when there is a distal inclination (distoangulation)...
It is reported that the frequency of lingual nerve damage varies depending on the impaction pattern of the mandibular third molar, and that a relatively high frequency of lingual nerve damage occurs when there is a distal inclination (distoangulation), and that the thin thickness of the lingual plate increases the possibility of postoperative lingual nerve damage. Many studies have reported the relationship between mandibular third molars and thickness of lingual plate, but research on thickness of lingual plate in relation to the three-dimensional position of distoangulation is insufficient. Therefore, we aimed to identify risk factors for lingual nerve damage by comparing the correlation between the three-dimensional position of the mandibular third molar in the distoangulation and thickness of lingual plate with the vertical. Panoramic radiographs and CBCT were taken for 106 mandibular third molars to determine the thickness of the lingual plate and three-dimensional classification. Statistical analysis was performed by grouping according to the following criteria. Average lingual plate thickness in vertical and distoangulation, Correlation between mesiodistal angle and thickness of lingual plate, Three-dimensional classification of distoangulation and thickness of lingual plate, Correlation between buccolinugal angle and thickness of lingual plate in distoangulation. The results show that distoangulation has a lingual plate thickness that is 0.3702 mm thinner than vertical, which is a significant difference. No significant values were derived in other experiments. Distoangulation has a thinner lingual plate thickness compared to vertical and must be accompanied by careful surgery.