Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40607074›Full record

ReviewImaging science in dentistry2025

Radiographic relationship of third molars with the mandibular canal as a predictor of inferior alveolar nerve sensory disturbance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abbas Shokri, Ashkan Sadeghi Farnia, Ali Heidari, Forough Abbasiyan, Behnaz Alafchi

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Imaging science in dentistry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Abbas ShokriDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3434-3672
Ashkan Sadeghi FarniaSchool of Dentistry, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9414-1406
Ali HeidariDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3019-477X
Forough AbbasiyanDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6051-8609
Behnaz AlafchiDepartment of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3274-2650

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: This study was performed to assess the relationship of the third molars with the mandibular canal as a predictor of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) sensory disturbances using panoramic radiography (PR) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: A systematic search was conducted of 4 databases-PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar-for the period from 1985 to 2024. In the retrieved articles, the outcome of interest was the relationship of the mandibular canal with the third molars on PR and CBCT scans. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and quantitative meta-analysis was performed using STATA. A random-effects restricted maximum likelihood model was employed for the meta-analysis, and the I Results: A total of 1,635 articles were initially retrieved. After a rigorous selection process, 20 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 8 were selected for the meta-analysis. The findings indicated that CBCT yielded higher prevalence rates for root darkening, root deflection, interruption of the white line, diversion of the mandibular canal, and narrowing of the mandibular canal (theta values: 49.962, 4.76, 8.09, 2.229, and 4.708, respectively) compared with PR (theta values: 1.363, 1.605, 6.322, 0.655, and 1.449, respectively). Conclusion: CBCT was more accurate than PR in investigating predictors of IAN paresthesia in mandibular third molar surgery. Considering the higher prevalence of paresthesia in the presence of root darkening, CBCT may be highly efficient in detecting this parameter and thus aiding in the prevention of paresthesia.

Indexed as

Cone-Beam Computed TomographyMandibular NerveMolar, ThirdParesthesiaRadiography, Panoramic

Identifiers

PMID40607074
PMCPMC12210119

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.