title: Importance of Clinical and Radiological Parameters in Assessment of Surgical Difficulty in Removal of Impacted Mandibular 3rd Molars: A New Index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to assess the clinical and radiological factors that increase the surgical difficulty in removal of mandibular impacted 3rd molar and design a new difficulty predictive index.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data was collected from 100 patients with impacted mandibular 3rd molar who presented to Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, K.L.E's Institute of Dental Sciences. Clinical and radiological parameters included in the New Index were noted. The tooth was then removed under local anesthesia and time taken for the removal was noted. The Pederson Index, New Index and time taken were co-related using kappa statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The kappa agreement between Pederson Index and time taken was 66.50 % (0.2231) whereas between New Index and time was 89 % (0.7177) indicating that New Index is a better predictor of the difficulty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The New Index is a reliable tool in predicting the difficulty in the removal of mandibular impacted third molar.
authors.affiliation: KLE's V.K. Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka India ; D-102, Socorro Gardens, Porvorim, Goa, 403501 India.
authors.forename: Indraniil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: KLE's V.K. Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka India.
authors.forename: Shridhar D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Baliga
authors.affiliation: KLE's V.K. Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka India.
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.affiliation: KLE's V.K. Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka India.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rao
keywords: 3rd molar; Impaction; Minor oral surgery