Objective: The study aimed to determine the frequency of complexity in mandibular third molar surgeries (MTM) according to the Pederson index in a radiological study of a Peruvian sample. Materials and methods: The sample was made up of 235 MTM present in 120 digital panoramic radiographs of patients from 16 to 55 years of age from a public hospital in Lima in 2019. The data collected were sex, age, tooth position, spatial relationship, depth, relationship to ascending branch, and Pederson index. Results: The MTM showed a prevalence of moderately difficult surgical complexity (53.6 %) with Pederson index (5 [5-6]), mesioangular impaction (46,4 %), high occlusal depth A (46,8 %), and relationship with the reduced class II branch (76,2 %). A higher Pederson index was associated with more age, but not with sex or position. Women presented more dystoangulation and class II relationship, men ...

Dental needle fracture during anesthetic placement is a rare complication that can cause significant anxiety for both the patient and their family. Complications may range from mild pain, trismus, and dysphagia to injuries involving nerve or vascular structures. We present a case of dental needle fracture in the pterygomandibular space following an inferior alveolar nerve block in a 3-year-old girl. The needle fracture appears to have resulted from the child’s sudden movement during the administration of the dental anesthesia. The needle fragment was located using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and surgical retrieval was successfully performed 24 hours after the incident under general anesthesia. Dental needle fractures are complications that can generally be prevented with proper precautions. However, it is essential to understand the appropriate actions to take should this rar...