Coronectomy as an alternative for lower third molars: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To evaluate whether coronectomy is superior to conventional extraction of lower third molars. Materials and methods: The articles were selected according to the PICO criteria in electronic databases. The main outcomes evaluated in the short term were: inferior alveolar nerve injury, pain, dry socket and infection. The main longterm outcome was root migration. Results: 5 studies comparing coronectomy with conventional extraction and with a control period longer than 1 year were included in the study. The longest follow-up time was 3 years and the shortest was 13.5 months. In the studies included in this review, there were 44 cases of inferior alveolar nerve injury in the control group and 25 cases in the coronectomy group. Pain was relatively greater in the conventional extraction group. Root migration was greatest in the first 6 months and stabilized after the first year. Conclusion: Coronectomy is a safe procedure with a lower incidence of postoperative complications and a lower rate of injury to the inferior alveolar nerve, although it is clear that it is not a risk-free technique.