A new procedure in Oral Surgery?

Sometimes it’s difficult to write lectures around oral surgery because there are times when little seems to change and you seem to be teaching ‘the same old stuff’

This has changed in recent years with the introduction of concerns regarding bisphosphonates but more recently there has been some research carried out into a new procedure for the treatment of mesially impacted third molars which really has changed peoples practices quite dramatically.

The procedure in question is the coronectomy. In the simplest terms, this involves removal of the crown in a mesially impacted third molar and retention of the roots in the socket. There is a specific technique to carry this out but it then allows treatment of a mesially impacted third molar to be undertaken without any risk of nerve damage associated with the inferior dental canal.

You can imagine, that were this treatment proven to be successful over time, it could revolutionize third molar surgery in the United Kingdom and cut the costs of treatment dramatically.

Tara Renton, Professor of Oral Surgery in London, has pioneered the research into this subject and at both my sites, in Alfreton and Nottingham, we have begun the process of auditing the procedure for our patients.

In truth, oral surgery clinicians have been leaving roots close to inferior dental canals for many years and perhaps not auditing things but not encountering severe problems on a large scale (my wife still has a lower left third molar root in place which was extracted prior to getting married)

The early signs for the coronectomy procedures in our practices are fantastic and it is something we will be looking at over the coming years and trying to introduce for both the benefits of ourselves and our patients.

I hope to post some more information regarding the procedures and the success rates that we have experienced in the next little while so keep an eye on this site!