Novel use of a piezo electric device for retrieval of a third molar root from the floor of the mouth: A case report

Abstract

A 26-year-old female patient presented for extraction of her mandibular impacted third molars, teeth #17 and #32. The patient was consented with the understanding of potential complications of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) and lingual nerve (LN) injury. A panoramic radiograph was the initial imaging used to determine the risk associated with the extraction of tooth #17 and tooth #32. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was also utilized and interpreted before the extraction surgery. During the removal of #32, there was a fracture of the thin lingual plate and a portion of the #32 root was displaced lingually out of the alveolus. This case presentation illustrates the use of a piezoelectric device (Mectron S·P.A., Carasco, Genoa, Italy) (PD) to create osteotomies of the lingual socket's cortical plate and allow for the retrieval of the root through the lingual plate perforation, avoiding further displacement into the sublingual space. This is a unique modification to a procedure published by Huang et al., in 2007 [1]. The procedure along with an account of the post-operative course is discussed in detail.

Keywords

• Novel third molar approach
• Piezo electric surgery unit
• Retrieval of displaced mandibular third molar root tip