Concordance between panoramic radiography and cone beam computed tomography in the relationship of mandibular third molars with inferior dental canal

Abstract

Objective: to determine the concordance between panoramic radiography and cone beam computed tomography in analysis of the relationship of mandibular third molars with inferior dental canal in patients attended in a peruvian population. Material and methods: this research was observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective. The sample was 112 mandibular third molars and modified classification of Robert Langlais was used for radiographic evaluation. Likewise, other variables were age, sex and side. The statistical tests used were chi square, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskall Wallis test and Cohen's kappa coefficient. Results: according to panoramic radiography, 82.1% (n = 92) of third molars showed superposition, of which the highest percentage was for “interruption of white line” with 25.9% (n = 29). According to cone beam computed tomography, 65.2% (n = 73) of the molars showed “contact”. Radiographic sign "darkening of root + interruption of white line" had correspondence of 88.9% (n = 24) with tomographic presentation of “contact". Conclusions: there is low diagnostic concordance between panoramic radiography and cone beam computed tomography in analysis of the relationship of  mandibular third molar with inferior dental canal and there is also no statistically significant difference of this relationship with sex, neither with age nor with side.