ACCIDENTS AND COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER THIRD MOLARS

Abstract

Surgical extraction of wisdom teeth is often performed in daily dental practice. In all surgical procedures, adequate prior planning and careful application of surgical techniques and principles are crucial to minimize complications. Although wisdom tooth extraction is common, it can still lead to complications despite its relative rarity. This study aims to review the literature on incidents and complications associated with the extraction of lower wisdom teeth, and to suggest appropriate approaches to dealing with these situations. To construct this article, a bibliographic survey was carried out in the SciVerse Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), U.S. National Library of Medicine (PUBMED) and Google Scholar databases, with the help of the Mendeley reference manager. The articles were covered between the years 2017 and 2023. Complications arising from wisdom teeth extraction surgery can be divided into two categories: those considered simple, such as tooth breakage, minimal damage to surrounding tissues; and the most serious, which often require specialized treatment, such as the breakage of surgical instruments with total penetration into the tissues (e.g., needles), mandibular fractures during surgery and damage to important structures, such as nerves. Preventing complications should be a priority for surgeons, and thorough planning, combined with professional knowledge, are crucial elements for this. The more complex the surgical technique required, such as osteotomy and odontosection, the greater the risk of postoperative complications, such as alveolitis (inflammation of the tooth socket after extraction), trismus (difficulty opening the mouth) and paresthesia (abnormal sensation). of numbness or tingling), requiring greater caution on the part of the surgeon.