Purpose
The purpose of our report was to determine clinically whether young adults who elect
to retain their asymptomatic third molars (M3s) have a risk of undergoing 1 or more
M3 extractions in the future.
Materials and Methods
To address our clinical question, we designed and implemented a systematic review.
The studies included in the present review were prospective, had a sample size of
50 subjects or more with at least 1 asymptomatic M3, and had at least 12 months of
follow-up data available. The primary study variables were the follow-up duration
(in years) and the number of M3s extracted by the end of the follow-up period or the
number of subjects who required at least one M3 extraction. The annual and cumulative
incidence rates of M3 removal were estimated.
Results
Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. The samples sizes ranged from 70 to 821
subjects, and the follow-up period ranged from 1 to 18 years. The mean incidence rate
for M3 extraction of previously asymptomatic M3s was 3.0% annually (range 1 to 9%).
The cumulative incidence rate for M3 removal ranged from 5% at 1 year to 64% at 18
years. The reasons for extraction were caries, periodontal disease, and other inflammatory
conditions.
Conclusions
The cumulative risk of M3 extraction for young adults with asymptomatic M3s is sufficiently
high to warrant its consideration when reviewing the risks and benefits of M3 retention
as a management strategy.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: November 10, 2014
Accepted:
October 24,
2014
Received:
August 2,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2015 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
