Surgical-orthodontic assessment of the lower third molar: germectomy vs non germectomy

Aim: The aim of this work is to present the germectony’s indications and general overview of the different surgical techniques used for the germectomy of the lower third molars and of the possible post-surgical complications. Methods: The germectomy is a surgical treatment defined as the removal of a tooth at the beginning of its development, when it has no contacts with the surrounding anatomical structures. Results: The different techniques are different depending on the surgical access to the germ: all methods are valid if they’re selected considering the different clinical-anatomical conditions of the patients. The post-surgical course is usually good: the complications that a patient have to face after a germectomy are similar to the ones that could follow a difficult tooth extraction, for example: pain, swelling, trisma, haematoma, fever, dysphagia. Conclusions: The germectomy of lower third molar is an elective surgical treatment in case of morphological-structural or topographic alterations of the tooth germ or in the event of dysplastic alterations of the third molar. Germectomy is a convenient, rapid, atraumatic technique without important post-surgical side effects. It’s executable in local anesthesia and it’s much less invasive than the traditional surgery of the third molar.