Background: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and pattern of mandibular third molar impaction in a tertiary care centre in Chennai and to assess whether there are any differences with regards to prevalence and pattern of mandibular third molar impaction when compared with other regional studies in different parts of the world.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was carried out from the clinical and radiographic records of the patients who were referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from October 2016 to October 2017 for a period of one year. Patients’ records within the age group of 20-60 years were included in the study.
Results: The sample size obtained using the inclusion and exclusion criteria were 1515 patients of which 966 were male patients (63.8%) and 549 were female patients (36.2%). Of these 672 patients had impacted teeth which is about 44.4%. Among this 405 were males and 267 were females. The mandibular third molar impaction was most commonly seen in the age group of 20-30 years (60.1%) (p<0.001). The most common angulation was Mesioangular 36.6% (p<0.001), most common position was Position A 39.7% (p<0.001) and the most common class according to Pell and Gregory classification was Class II 48.2% (p<0.001).46% of cases had caries in the adjacent second molar and 13.8% of patients with impacted mandibular third molars had fracture of the angle of the mandible and 2.7% were associated with cyst or tumour.
Conclusion: The reports of the present study reveal that there are variations between different racial and ethnic groups in the prevalence and pattern of third molar impactions. This can be due to social, economic and genetic differences.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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