Indications of the extraction of symptomatic impacted third molars. A systematic review

• María Peñarrocha-Diago ^[1] ; Octavi Camps-Font ^[2] ; Alba Sánchez-Torres ^[2] ; Rui Figueiredo ^[2] ; María-Angeles Sánchez-Garcés ^[2] ; Cosme Gay-Escoda ^[3]
  1. [1] Universitat de València

     Universitat de València

     Valencia, España

     
  2. [2] Universitat de Barcelona

     Universitat de Barcelona

     Barcelona, España

     
  3. [3] MD, DDS, MS, PhD, EBOS, OMFS. Chairman of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. University of Barcelona Dental School. Barcelona, Spain. Director of the Master of Oral Surgery and Buccofacial Implantology of the EFHRE International University / FUCSO. Coordinator / Researcher of the “Dental and Maxillofacial Diseases and Therapeutics” group of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL)

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• Localización: Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry, ISSN-e 1989-5488, Vol. 13, Nº. 3 (March), 2021, págs. 278-286
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • A literature review was made to determine when third molar (3M) extraction is recommended in symptomatic patients and when it is not recommended.

    A Medline (PubMed) and EMBASE search was made for articles related to indications for the extraction of 3Ms, published in the last 10 years and up until September 2018.

    The electronic search yielded 175 articles. After eliminating duplicates, a total of 173 articles were subjected to review of the title and abstract. Only 19 studies were finally included in the systematic review. There was a well documented increase in morbidity associated to impacted 3Ms (non-restorable caries, fracture, infection, periodontal disease, repeated pericoronitis, cysts and tumors), and in the presence of disease, extraction was considered to be indicated. The extraction of 3Ms with signs and/or symptoms of periodontal disease improved periodontal health at the distal surface of the second molar. Postoperative quality of life of patients with symptomatic 3Ms and with disease improved after surgical extraction.

    Extraction is indicated in the presence of disease associated to an impacted 3M, whether symptomatic or not. In contrast, extraction is not indicated in the absence of infection or other associated disease conditions.