Wisdom teeth and mandibular osteotomies
Reviewed by Stuart Clark

This is a systemic review and meta-analysis from Italy and Brazil where they try to clarify the role of wisdom teeth and complications in a sagittal split mandibular osteotomy. Whilst, like many other papers, they outline the quality of evidence to be low, in this consideration they were able to state that there was no statistically significant relationship between the presence of third molars and complications such as the presence of the nerve in the proximal segment, infection, surgical removal of osteosynthesis material or the outcome of bad splits. It is a little disappointing that the paper does not come with a clear-cut unequivocal outcome but adds further evidence of support to limiting surgery to one procedure rather than the two insults of removal of wisdom teeth and an osteotomy at a later date.

Do lower third molars increase the risk of complications during mandibular sagittal split osteotomy: a systemic review and meta-analysis.
Cetira Filho EL, Sales PHH, Rebelo HL, et al.
INT J ORAL MAXILLOFAC SURG
2022;51(7);906-21.