• The Journal of the Korean dental association
• /
• v.52 no.12
• /
• pp.753-761
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study was performed to examine distribution of accessory mandibular canal and its characteristics in mandibular third molars. Materials and methods: A total of 251 subjects (166 males and 85 females) having mandibular third molars bilaterally were included in the study. Cone-beam computed tomographic images were reviewed for bifid or trifid accessory mandibular canal. The prevalence of accessory mandibular canal was evaluated according to gender, side and its branching type. Proximity and crosssectional position of accessory mandibular canal to mandibular third molar was analyzed. Results: Accessory mandibular canals were found in 66 (26.3%) of 251 patients and 86 (17.1%) of 502 hemi-mandibles. Gender and sides showed no statistically significant differences in prevalence. Retromolar canal (46.1%) was the most common branching type. Proximity of accessory canal to mandibular third molars showed mean distance of 2.8 mm from third molar and a statistically significant difference was found among types of accessory canal. Dental canal was the closest to tooth among branching types and closer to tooth than main canal. On cross-sectional view, accessory canal was generally located on buccal side of mandibular third molar. Conclusion: Accessory mandibular canal was common and well detected with cone-beam computed tomography. Their localization is significant in all anesthetic and surgical procedures involving mandibular third molars.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.46 no.5
• /
• pp.328-334
• /
• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to validate the effectiveness of a recently proposed difficulty index for removal of impacted mandibular third molars based on extraction time and suggest a modified difficulty index including the presence of pathologic conditions associated with third molars. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 65 male patients younger than 25 years with third molars. Extraction time was calculated from start of the incision to the last suture. The difficulty scores for third molars were based on spatial relationship (1-5 points), depth (1-4 points), and ramus relationship (1-3 points) using cone-beam computed tomography. The difficulty index was defined as follows: I (3-4 points), II (5-7 points), III (8-10 points), and IV (11-12 points). The modified difficulty score was calculated by adding one point to the difficulty score if the third molar was associated with a pathologic condition. Two modified difficulty indices, based on the presence of pathologic conditions, were as follows: the half-level up difficulty index (HDI) and the one-level up difficulty index (ODI) from the recently proposed difficulty index. Results: The correlations between extraction time and difficulty index and or modified difficulty indices were significant (P<0.001). The correlation coefficient between extraction time and difficulty index was 0.584. The correlation coefficients between extraction time and HDI and ODI were 0.728 and 0.764, respectively. Conclusion: Extraction time of impacted third molars exhibited a moderate correlation with difficulty index and was strongly correlated with the modified indices. Considering the clinical implications, the difficulty index of surgical extraction should take into consideration the pathologic conditions associated with third molars.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.489-502
• /
• 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the third molar and periodontal status of the adjacent second molar. Fifty patients who had four maxillary and mandibular second molars were consecutively selected for the study subjects. The subjects provided a total of 200 molars, i. e., 100 maxillary and 100 mandibular molars, and classified the groups as follows; third molars that are normally erupted are control group, that are impacted are test 1 group, that are simply extracted are test 2 group, that are surgically extracted are test 3 group. Probing depth, plaque index, gingival index and mobility were measured. The results were as follows. 1. In mesial probing depth, there was no significantly difference. In distal probing depth, there was a significantly difference between control group and test 1 & 3 group in maxilla and between control & test 2 group and test 1& 3 group in mandible(p<0.05). 2. In buccal probing depth, there was a significantly difference between test 2 group and test 3 group in mandible. In lingual probing depth, there was a significantly difference between control group and test 1 & 3 group in mandible(p<0.05). 3. In plaque index, there was a significantly difference between test 1 group and test 2 group in maxilla, between test 1 group and control & test 2 group in mandible(p<0.05). 4. In gingival index, there was a significantly difference between control group and test 1 & 3 group in mandible. In mobility, there was no significantly difference(p<0.05). As a result of this study, the second molars adjacent to the third molars that are impacted or surgically extracted had poor prognosis, so impacted third molars should be extracted in early time and the second molars are actively treated for periodontal health.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.251-258
• /
• 2016

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate factors associated with increased difficulty in the surgical extraction of impacted lower third molars and to improve identification of difficult cases. Materials and Methods: A total of 680 patients who required 762 surgical extractions of impacted lower third molars from 2009 to 2014 were enrolled in the study. Demographic factors, clinical factors, radiographic factors, surgical extraction difficulty, and presumed causes of difficulty were collected. Data were statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 23. Results: Age, sex, depth of impaction, and blurred radiographic image influenced difficulty in surgical extraction. The position of the impacted tooth influenced surgical difficulty, especially when it was accompanied by other factors. Conclusion: It is challenging to design a reliable and practical instrument to predict difficulty in surgical extraction of impacted lower third molars. To identify very difficult cases, root investigation using computed tomography is advised when impacted tooth position suggests difficult extraction.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.155-158
• /
• 2022

Objectives: The aim of this study was to observe the relationship between impacted mandibular third molars and development of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Knowledge of the factors that have an adverse effect on the TMJ is necessary for proper diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of TMJ disorders. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 80 patients aged between 20 and 60 years with impacted mandibular third molars, over a period of two months. The patients were examined clinically and radiologically to determine the type of impaction and detect the associated TMJ symptoms or disorders. Results: In the 80 patients, 63.8% (51/80) of TMJ disorders were found in the horizontal group, 46.3% (37/80) in the mesioangular group, 42.5% (34/80) in the distoangular group, and 30.0% (24/80) in the vertical group of impacted mandibular third molars. Conclusion: The study concluded that type of impacted mandibular third molar is factor in the development of temporomandibular disorders.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 1989

The development of the lobe pattern in the human dentition plays a part in the form and function of each individual teeth. In order to determin the morphological categories used to describe the occlusal surfaces of the maxillary and mandibular molars, the variation of the developmental grooves which separate each lobe in the molars was examined and analysed. The obtained conclusions were as follow. 1. Most of the maxillary first molars with more distinct and more developmental grooves than the other molars but in most cases of the third molar, a heart-shaped outline due to poorly developed or abscent distolingual cusp was most frequent and in this case the third molar had the 3 cusps separated by the central developmental groove and the buccal developmental groove. 2. In most cases, the mandibular first molar had the 5-cusp type that the groove patter resembles a Y, the second molar the 4-cusp type arranged in such a way that the buccal and lingual developmental grooves meet the central developmental groove at right angle on the occlusal surface and many instances of the mandibular third molars had the 5-cusp thpe with a+groove pattern which separatess the mesiolingual cusp from the distobuccal cusp and the 4-cusp type with a+groove pattern. 3. The maxillary and mandibular third molar were most variable in the developmental groove.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.77-83
• /
• 1981

The author analyzed the morphological pattern of mandibles and lower third molars in order to study and predict the impaction of the developmental third molars. The subjects consisted of 37 males and 87 females with malocclusion. The following results were obtained: 1. The mandible was shown to be shorter in the impacted third molar group than in the erupted group, both in over-all length and in body length. 2. The developmental mesial angulation of the third molar to the mandibular plane was higher in the impacted third molar group. 3. There was a tendency for impacted third molars to be slightly larger than those which erupted except Class II malocclusion in female. 4. In the available space for the eruption of the third molar, significant space deficiency was found in association with the impacted third molar group compared with the erupted group.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.343-348
• /
• 2011

Introduction: Third molar extraction is one of the most common procedures in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The impacted third molar causes many pathological conditions, such as pericoronitis, caries, periodontitis, resorption of adjacent teeth, and cyst or tumors associated with impacted teeth. Extraction is often considered the treatment of choice for impacted lower third molars. On the other hand, imprudent extraction of deeply impacted third molars can cause permanent complications, such as inferior alveolar nerve damage. Therefore, guidelines for the extraction of lower third molars should be set to prevent embarrassing complications. This study examined the indication and current trends of the extracted lower third molars in the dental hospital of a dental college. Materials and Methods: 557 extracted third molars were evaluated at the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery of Yonsei University. The chief complaint, diagnosis, age and degree of impaction were analyzed to determine the tendency for the extraction of asymptomatic lower third molars. Results: The percentage of asymptomatic third molars was 40.8%. In cases of full impacted tooth or full erupted tooth, the percentage of asymptomatic teeth was more than 50% (52.4% and 54.3, respectively). Among those partially impacted teeth, 73.1% of them showed symptoms, such as pain, tenderness and swelling. In terms of age, pericoronitis was evident at a younger age, and dental caries/periodontitis was the main cause of removal in those aged over 50. Twenty nine cases (1.6%) had teeth associated with pathological changes Conclusion: The incidence of pathological changes to the lower third molar was relatively low. Surgical extraction is recommended in cases of partially impacted teeth. In Korea, the incidence of asymptomatic third molar extraction was relatively higher than in European countries. More careful attention would be desirable to consider the risks and benefits of lower third molar extraction.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the reliability of 7 panoramic radiographic signs for predicting proximity of the root apices of mandibular third molars to the mandibular canal using cone-beam computed tomography and to correlate these findings with the Pell and Gregory and the Winter classification systems. Materials and Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted on 74 patients with bilateral impacted mandibular third molars. Four panoramic radiographic signs were observed in the tooth root (darkening, deflection, and narrowing of the root apices, and bifid apices), and another 3 in the mandibular canal (diversion, narrowing, and interruption of the mandibular canal). Cone-beam computed tomography images were analyzed to identify disruption and diversion of the mandibular canal and root deflection. Results: Binary logistic regression showed that only 4 of the 7 panoramic radiographic signs were able to predict proximity of the root apices of the mandibular third molars to the mandibular canal: darkening of the root, deflection of the root, narrowing of the root, and interruption of the mandibular canal(P<0.05). Conclusion: Darkening, deflection, and narrowing of the root, in tandem with the interruption of the mandibular canal on panoramic radiographs, indicate that cone-beam computed tomography should be performed when planning the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. Proximity between mandibular third molars and the mandibular canal is correlated with the Winter classification.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.37-41
• /
• 2017

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the implication of third molars in postoperative complications of mandibular angle fracture with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Materials and Methods: Data were collected on patients who presented with mandibular angle fracture at our Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery between January 2011 and December 2015. Of the 63 total patients who underwent ORIF and perioperative intermaxillary fixation (IMF) with an arch bar, 49 patients were identified as having third molars in the fracture line and were followed up with until plate removal. The complications of postoperative infection, postoperative nerve injury, bone healing, and changes in occlusion and temporomandibular joint were evaluated and analyzed using statistical methods. Results: In total, 49 patients had third molars in the fracture line and underwent ORIF surgery and perioperative IMF with an arch bar. The third molar in the fracture line was retained during ORIF in 39 patients. Several patients complained of nerve injury, temporomandibular disorder (TMD), change of occlusion, and postoperative infection around the retained third molar. The third molars were removed during ORIF surgery in 10 patients. Some of these patients complained of nerve injury, but no other complications, such as TMD, change in occlusion, or postoperative infection, were observed. There was no delayed union or nonunion in either of the groups. No statistically significant difference was found between the non-extraction group and the retained teeth group regarding complications after ORIF. Conclusion: If the third molar is partially impacted or completely nonfunctional, likely to be involved in pathologic conditions later in life, or possible to remove with the plate simultaneously, extraction of the third molar in the fracture line should be considered during ORIF surgery of the mandible angle fracture.