Extra-oral approach to lower third molar: a rare surgical indication.

BACKGROUND The avulsion of the impacted lower third molar is one of the most common procedures in oral surgery. Even though it is characterized by possible complications due to the lesion of lingual and inferior alveolar nerves, the intra-oral surgical approach represents the first choice strategy when planning surgery. However, in case of ectopic tooth in the mandibular basal bone, it is appropriate to consider an extra-oral transcutaneous surgical approach. The ectopia of the inferior wisdom tooth represents a very rare clinical condition and sometimes it is even unknown by patients and dentists: further evidence of this fact is represented by the paucity of paper related to the topic that can be found in the international scientific literature. METHODS The experience of the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery of San Gerardo Hospital in Monza (Italy) in management and treatment of ectopic impacted lower third molar is exposed through the presentation of three cases of ectopic third molar. RESULTS Two out of three patients, aware of the risks related to the surgical procedure, refused the treatment proposed. One patient underwent surgical avulsion of the wisdom tooth through extra-oral transcervical approach. No early or late complications have been observed. CONCLUSIONS Extra-oral surgical approach for ectopic lower third molar should be considered for selected cases. Given the rarity of the clinical condition and the procedure-related risks, accurate pre-operative information has to be provided to the patient by physician and the procedure should only be performed by expert and competent surgeons.