RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to test the intra and inter-rater reliability, reproducibility, and validity of a new guide called the "Cone Beam Computed Tomography-Maxillary Canine Impaction (CBCT-MCI)," designed to assess the position, severity, and predictability of the maxillary canine impaction (MCI) treatment intervention using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a retrospective radiographic review of 44 patients with unilateral or bilateral MCI. A total of 56 maxillary impacted canines' CBCT radiographs were analyzed using the new CBCT-MCI guide, with each of its 10 items scored. The total scores of the 10 items were then compared to a scale to predict the best treatment intervention of MCI: normal spontaneous eruption, surgical-orthodontic traction, or surgical extraction. Radiologists and orthodontists have developed, tested, and retested the CBCT-MCI guide on the same 56 maxillary impacted canines using CBCT radiographs to check its reliability and reproducibility using the Kappa coefficient. Furthermore, the validity of this guide was tested by comparing the predicted best treatment intervention with the actual treatment administered to the assessed impacted maxillary canine using the Kappa coefficient and percentage of agreement using cross-tabulation. RESULTS: The result of this study showed significantly strong Kappa values of intra-rater agreement (k = 0.91, (P < 0.0001) and inter-rater agreement (k = 0.84, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, testing the relationship between the two MCI treatment interventions using cross-tabulation, the agreement percentages between the predicated and actual treatment plans of the assessed MCI ranged between 70% and 95.5% with a significantly strong Kappa value (k = 0.82, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the CBCT-MCI guide is capable of producing accurate, reliable, and reproducible results in assessing and predicting the type of orthodontic treatment intervention of MCI in a simple, quick, and efficient way.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the immediate versus the delayed application of photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy following odontectomy of horizontally impacted mandibular third molars, and assess which application method is more effective at reducing postoperative complications. BACKGROUND DATA: Surgical removal of horizontally impacted mandibular third molars is a common surgical procedure, usually associated with postoperative complications such as pain, swelling, and trismus. Several attempts have been made to minimize these complications. One such method is the use of PBM therapy. METHODS: Eighty patients with horizontally impacted mandibular third molars with no inferior alveolar canal approximation were recruited for this study. They were divided into two groups. The immediate group received PBM therapy immediately after surgery and on the 3rd day postoperatively. Subjects in the delayed group received PBM therapy on the 2nd and 4th days postoperatively. All subjects received 2 min of treatment using a 4 W laser beam, during which 171 J were delivered via a 2.8 cm(2) spot size. RESULTS: Clinical and statistical results showed a significant reduction in pain, trismus, and swelling in the immediate PBM therapy group compared with the delayed PBM therapy group. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate PBM therapy is more effective than delayed PBM therapy in minimizing the complications associated with mandibular third molar removal surgery.
