Is MRI a viable alternative to CT/CBCT to identify the course of the inferior alveolar nerve in relation to the roots of the third molars?

Objectives: To assess the reliability of judging the spatial relation between the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) and mandibular third molar (MTM) based on MRI or CT/CBCT images.

Methods: Altogether, CT/CBCT and MRI images of 87 MTMs were examined twice by 3 examiners with different degrees of experience. The course of the IAN in relation to the MTM, the presence/absence of a direct contact between IAN and MTM, and the presence of accessory IAN were determined.