Iris Publishers- Open access Journal of Dentistry & Oral Health | Prevalence and Pattern of Third Molar Impaction in Sample of Yemeni Adults

Authored by Hassan A Al-Shamahy

Background and objectives: Third molar impaction is an important clinical issue because impacted teeth predispose to periodontal disease such as pericoronitis, periodontitis, and other problems such as cystic lesions, neoplasm, root resorption and can cause detrimental effects on adjacent tooth resulting in pain, discomfort and loss of function. The pattern of third molar impaction in Yemeni population has not been described; thus, the aim of this retrospective radiographic study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of third molar impaction, angulation and level of eruption in sample of Yemeni adults.
Materials and methods: The study sample of 609 patients chosen randomly from patients who visited MASS x-ray centers in Sana’a and Ibb cities. The data collected included presence and impaction state, angulation, and depth of impaction of third molars.
Results: Out of total population, 236 (38.8%) showed at least one impacted third molar. The condition was slightly higher in females (40%) than in male (35.1%). The incidence of impacted lower third molars were most frequent (22.8%) than impacted upper third molar (15.9%). The most common level of impacted third molars was level II (43.8%) the most common angulation of impaction in the mandible was the mesioangular (76.8%), the most common level of impaction was level II (43.8%) and position of impaction was B (72.6%). There was no significant difference in the frequency of impaction between the right and left sides of both jaws.
Conclusion: This study found that about 40% of Yemeni adult patients ranging in age from 18-28 years had at least one impacted third molar.

Teeth grow to be impacted when they fail to erupt or develop in their proper functional location. Also; of all teeth, mandibular third molars are the most frequently impacted [1]. The tooth fails to erupt completely or partially to its correct position in the dental arch and its eruption potential has been lost and will not eventually assume a normal arch relationship with the other teeth and tissues. Many theories have been proposed owing to the causes of teeth impaction. One of them is the inadequate space in the dental arch for eruption as stated by the Phylogenic theory: due to evolution, the human jaw size is becoming smaller and since the third molar tooth is last to erupt, there may not be room for it to emerge in the oral cavity then impacted teeth can be seen, because of lack of space [2]. Also, one of the most popular theory in high incidence of mandibular third molar impaction is insufficient development of the retromolar space [3,4]. Mandibular ramus growth is related to resorption at its anterior surface and deposition at its posterior surface, but in case of imbalance of this process, the mandibular third molars do not get enough space to erupt.

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