Validity of the vertical tube-shift method in determining the relationship between the mandibular third molar roots and the inferior alveolar nerve canal.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the validity of the vertical tube-shift method using intraoral periapical radiography (IOPAR) for determining the relationship between the mandibular third molar roots and the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) canal in comparison with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).


METHODS
Fifty impacted mandibular third molars were analyzed using the IOPAR vertical tube-shift method and CBCT. The relationship of the IAN canal to the impacted mandibular third molar was recorded as buccal, lingual or in line with the apex and was compared with CBCT findings. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the vertical tube-shift method in depicting the relationship (buccal/lingual/in line with the apex) of the IAN canal to the third molar root apex was calculated.


RESULTS
The sensitivity and specificity PPV and NPV of the IOPAR vertical tube-shift technique was found to be highest for a lingual relationship (100%) followed by buccal (94.4%, 92.3%, 97.1%, and 85.7%) and in line with the apex relationship (88.9%, 95.0%, 80.0%, and 97.4%) of the IAN canal with the third molar root apex, respectively. A statistically significant association was observed between the IOPAR vertical tube-shift method and the CBCT with a P-value <0.01.


CONCLUSIONS
The vertical tube-shift method can be used as an effective diagnostic tool in assessing the relationship of the IAN canal to the third molar root apex with high sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV.
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, The Oxford Dental College, Bangalore, India.
Anjana
0000-0001-7600-8461
A
Arora
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, The Oxford Dental College, Bangalore, India.
Bharati A
0000-0003-0788-8818
BA
Patil
Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, The Oxford Dental College, Bangalore, India.
Amandeep
0000-0002-5169-5418
A
Sodhi
Cone-beam computed tomography; Inferior alveolar nerve; Third molar; Vertical tube-shift method