Surgical Outcomes in Mandibular Third Molar Extractions with and without Cone-beam Computed Tomography Imaging: A Comparative Prospective Study

IntroductIonMandibular third molar (M3) extraction is one of the most common oral surgical procedures, frequently associated with complications such as pain, swelling, trismus, infection, dry socket, and, most critically, inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury.Preoperative radiographic assessment plays a pivotal role in reducing surgical morbidity. 1 The diagnosis of diseases, the detection of injuries, and the treatment of patient conditions all depend on radiographic imaging.When doctors consider radiographs can provide important diagnostic information that might affect the course of therapy, they prescribe them.Radiographs are a highly useful and crucial diagnostic tool for oral surgeons, offering vital information that greatly facilitates diagnosis and treatment. [2]][4] Conventional two-dimensional (2D) intraoral periapical radiography has long been the standard imaging modality; however, its inherent limitations include magnification, distortion, and superimposition. 1 Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) offers threedimensional (3D) visualization of root morphology and its relationship to vital structures, potentially improving surgical planning. 5Because CBCT and intraoral periapical radiography have different capacities for evaluating the connection between 1,