evaluation of juxta-apical radiolucency as a risk factor for inferior alveolar nerve damage: a cone-beam computed tomography (cbct) study

Background: injuries to the lingual and inferior alveolar nerves (ian) through third molar surgery are common and complicated clinical problems. juxta-apical radiolucency (jar) is one of the new radiographic signs, suggestive of ian damage. objectives: this study aimed to assess the relationship between jar and ian and to determine its effects on the cortical plate. methods: in this cross-sectional study, after evaluating an initial sample of 450 cases, the cone-beam computed tomography (cbct) images of 20 patients with jar were compared with those of 20 age-matched patients without jar in the axial and multi-planar images. the relationship between jar and ian was evaluated, and thinning of the mandibular cortical plates was also investigated. statistical analysis was performed using descriptive tests and chi-square test in spss version 23. results: the relationship between jar and ian was statistically significant (p = 0.001). the cortical plates were perforated in 75% of cases with jar as opposed to 45% of cases without jar (p = 0.06). the relationship between the location of jar and ian was also significant (p = 0.004). conclusions: based on the present results, jar was associated with ian in most cases. thinning of the cortical plates was observed in all cases of jar.