ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the positional relationship between impacted mandibular third molar(IMTM) and mandibular canal(MC) by CBCT. Methods: 664 IMTMs with root apexes contacted to MCs on panoramic radiograph were further examined by CBCT,the exact positional relationship between IMTMs and MCs was observed and analyzed by I-Dixel software. Results: The 664 cases were divided into lowly(6. 3％),intermediately(60. 7％) and highly(33. 0％) impacted groups by the depth of IMTMs in mandibulae showed on CBCT images. The distance(mm) from the root apexes of IMTMs to the intact superior wall of MCs(n = 329) in lowly, intermediately and highly impacted cases were 1. 39 ± 1. 38,1. 28 ± 1. 03 and 1. 79 ± 1. 54 respectively(P ＜ 0. 05). MCs on the buccal side,lingual side,under the IMTMs and between the root apexes were found in 49. 8％,12. 0％,36. 6％ and 1. 5％ of the cases; the MC wall deffect was found in 65. 8％,27. 5％ and 95. 0％ of the cases with the MCs under,on buccal and lingual side of the IMTMs, respectively(P ＜ 0. 001). Conclusion: CBCT examination is necessary for the determination of the positional relationship between MC canal and IMTM with the root apex cotacted or overlapped to MC.