A study of indications used for removal of the mandibular third molar.

To study the indications used for removal of the mandibular third molar, questionnaires were sent to 35 Oral Surgery Clinics in Sweden, out of which 29 clinics participated. In each clinic, the questionnaires were to be recorded for 30 patients. The indications for removal were classified into 15 groups. There were also questions about symptoms as well as eruption status for the molar being removed. The results were based on data from 870 individuals with a mean age of 27 years. More than half of the removed third molars (54%) presented no subjective symptoms. Such symptoms were more frequent in association with fully or partially erupted molars than molars completely covered by soft or bone tissue. The indication for removal was classified as prophylactic in 27% and as orthodontic in 14%. Earlier episodes of pericoronitis consisted of 1/4 of the indications and caries or pulpitis of the third molar made up 13%. Pathologic entities like cysts, tumours and root resorption were registered in less than 3% each, and were more frequent among patients 40 years of age or older.