Incidence of a relationship between mandibular third molar impaction and different skeletal facial types

Abstract

Introduction: It is seen that the failure of mandibular third molars to erupt is most affected by lack of space in the alveolar arch between the distal of the second molar and the ascending ramus. Variation in growth pattern in different facial forms affects the space available for tooth eruption; therefore, the mandibular third molar impaction has correlation with different skeletal facial types. Aim: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between mandibular third molar impaction and different skeletal facial types. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of lateral cephalometric and orthopantomogram of 350 individuals, aged 17–35 years who had visited the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Facial Surgery, Daswani Dental College, Kota. The angulation of impaction was determined by the winter's classification and the facial type categorized by the facial axis angle. Results and Discussion: The overall rate of mandibular third molar impaction was 66.85%. Our study showed that mandibular third molar impaction is 3.3 times more common with the dolichofacial (38.7%) whereas brachyfacial (12.7%). Conclusion: After comparing the data with multiple studies, we found that the greater horizontal facial growth pattern of brachyfacial subjects over dolichofacial subjects provides increased space for full eruption of the mandibular third molar. Furthermore, bilateral mesioangular third molar impaction was more common with female predilection.