DENTIST AGREEMENT ON ASSESSING IMPACTED THIRD MOLARS' ANGLES VIA ORTHOPANTOMOGRAMS

Introduction: Assessing the angulation of third molar teeth in the mandible is critical in diagnosis, pre-surgical planning, and even surgery of the impacted tooth. Orthopantomograms (OPGs) are preferred for this purpose due to their ease of application and panoramic view. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the degree of inter-observer variability of dentists in identifying the angulation of impacted third molars using orthopantomograms and to assess the repeatability of panoramic radiographs for diagnostic purposes. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Foundation University Islamabad, Pakistan from April to September 2024. All the OPGs collected were initially reviewed, and 120 images were further independently rated by three calibrated dentists using the Winter classification. Therefore, Cohen's Kappa was computed as a measure of inter-rater reliability. Results: Mesioangular was the prevailing type of impaction. Cohen’s Kappa values ranged from 0.78 to 0.81, describing the level of agreement between the two raters as substantial to almost perfect. The percentage of total agreement in the last observations was 76.7%.