Ten-year-plus follow-up study on coronectomy of the mandibular third molar

In the management of the lower third molars, coronectomy has gained popularity in recent years due to its effectiveness in preventing neurosensory deficits, particularly when the tooth is in close proximity to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). This long-term prospective study was performed to evaluate the outcomes of patients who presented for mandibular third molar extraction and underwent coronectomy, with a minimum follow-up of 10 years. A total of 362 coronectomies performed on 277 patients (165 female, 112 male) were included. Fifty-five of the 362 coronectomy cases followed up for ≥10 years (15.2%) underwent reoperation due to exposed roots (8.0%), pain (3.9%), or infection (1.9%). Cox regression analysis showed no significant association between demographic or clinical characteristics and the need for reoperation to remove the retained roots. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that, at 10 years post-coronectomy, no reoperation would be required in 87.5% of cases. Notably, no nerve deficit occurred in any of the reoperation cases. The findings of this prospective study involving a large cohort and high rate of follow-up at ≥10 years after coronectomy suggest that this is a safe and efficient procedure for managing third molars in close proximity to the IAN.