The anatomy of a horizontally impacted maxillary wisdom tooth.
A completely horizontally impacted upper third molar was revealed after routine dissection of a 62-year-old human cadaver of a Caucasian male. The molar was penetrating into the maxillary sinus and there was antral dehiscence of its bony alveolus. The bony alveolus was immediately in front of the greater palatine canal contents, and the bottom of the alveolus was dehiscent towards the greater palatine foramen. Within the greater palatine canal and foramen the greater palatine artery was duplicated and the nerve was found. Such antral relations of an impacted upper third molar predispose to oroantral communications if extraction is performed, while the close neurovascular relations represent a risk factor for postextractional haemorrhage and neurosensory disturbances and must be borne in mind when deciding on or performing the extraction.
Carol Davila Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania. anatomon@gmail.com
M C
MC
Rusu
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Nimigean
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I
Sirbu
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M
Săndulescu
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RC
Ciuluvică
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Vasilescu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000473:pathology*