[Third molar and mandibular canal: selection of radiographic techniques]

Injury of the inferior alveolar nerve during extraction of mandibular third molar is a well recognized, but uncommon, serious complication. It has a serious impact on oral function and its psychological impact on the patient is great. To prevent this complication, several studies have been conducted to identify the high-risk radiological signs associated with intimate anatomic relationships between third molar and infra-alveolar nerve and thereby establish a unified process of radiological exploration. In this paper, the authors present a review of the literature of the recent studies involving radiological exploration of the relation of the third molar with the mandibular canal.