Clinical and Pathologic Features Related to the Impacted Third Molars in Patients of Different Ages: A Retrospective Study in the Korean Population

Overview

Journal J Dent Sci

Specialty Dentistry

Date 2019 Mar 22

PMID 30895075

Citations 6

Authors

Ji-Youn Kim

Hyeon-Gun Jee

Hyun Chul Song

Sun-Jong Kim

Myung-Rae Kim

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background/purpose: The surgical extraction of impacted third molars (ITMs) is a common surgical procedure in dentistry. If prophylactic removal of ITMs is beneficial, however, is a still disputed issue. The aim of this study was to analysis the pathologic changes in impacted third molars (ITMs) and adjacent teeth according to patient age groups in the Korean population to determine if the prophylactic removal of ITMs is to be supported or not.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study of patients who underwent surgical extraction of impacted third molars was performed. The patients were divided into 5 groups according to their age. Each group was analyzed with respect to patients' chief complaints, specific pathologic conditions in ITMs, and the damage to adjacent teeth due to untreated ITMs.

Results: In this study, 2883 impacted third molars in 1109 patients were analyzed. The most common patients' chief complaint was pain, and the frequency of pain was significantly higher in older age groups. The frequency and severity of pathologic changes in ITMs and adjacent second molars due to ITMs were increased with advancing age.

Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we conclude that the prophylactic removal of ITMs that have a higher probability of pathologic changes can be considered to be a reasonable treatment modality in younger patients to reduce morbidity resulting from surgical extraction compared with patients who attained advanced age.

Citing Articles

Qu H, Yang Y, Tian Y, Li Z, Sun L, Chen F J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2023; 24(10):896-904.

PMID: 37752091 PMC: 10522566. DOI: 10.1631/jzus.B2200617.

The efficacy of supervised learning and semi-supervised learning in diagnosis of impacted third molar on panoramic radiographs through artificial intelligence model.

Kim J, Kahm S, Yoo S, Bae S, Kang J, Lee S Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2023; 52(6):20230030.

PMID: 37192043 PMC: 10461259. DOI: 10.1259/dmfr.20230030.

Diagnostic Aspects of an Included Third Molar in an 88-Year-Old Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Miron M, Florea C, Lungeanu D, Todea C Diagnostics (Basel). 2022; 12(9).

PMID: 36140484 PMC: 9497960. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12092082.

Mischievous mandibular third molars camouflaging temporomandibular joint disorders.

Bhardwaj A, Gupta S, Narula J J Korean Assoc Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2022; 48(3):155-158.

PMID: 35770356 PMC: 9247450. DOI: 10.5125/jkaoms.2022.48.3.155.

Third molar extraction in middle-aged and elderly patient.

Kim J J Korean Assoc Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021; 47(5):407-408.

PMID: 34713818 PMC: 8564089. DOI: 10.5125/jkaoms.2021.47.5.407.

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