CORRELATION OF PERICORONITIS AND ERUPTION STATE OF THE MANDIBULAR THIRD MOLAR

Objectives: Pericoronitis was the most common indication for mandibular third molar surgery and there are no universally acceptable predictive criteria for pericoronitis occurrence. This study was designed to analyze the correlation of the pericoronitis and the eruption state of the mandibular third molar using panoramic radiographs statistically. Materials and Methods: 218 patients whose chief complaint was the extraction of the mandibular third molar were examined. The presence and absence of pericoronitis, age, sex, position of extraction site, angulation, impaction degree, position to the anterior border of mandibular ramus, distance between distal cementoenamel junction of second molar and mesial cementoenamel junction of the mandibular third molar were assessed. Then the correlation of pericoronitis and the eruption state of the mandibular third molar were analyzed by Student's t-test and chi-square test. Results: There was no correlation between Pericoronitis and age, sex, position of the mandibular third molar. The angulation(P=0.005), impaction degree(P=0.043), relation with anterior border of mandibular ramus(P=0.003), distance between distal cementoenamel junction of second molar and mesial cementoenamel junction of the mandibular third molar(P<0.05) were correlated with pericoronitis. Conclusions: The occurrence of the pericoronitis can be predicted by the eruption state of the mandibular third molar such as angulation, impaction degree, relation with anterior border of mandibular ramus, distance between distal cementoenamel junction of second molar and mesial cementoenamel junction of third molar.