Prevalence of Complications and Pericoronitis in Third Molar Surgery: a Cross-sectional Study Using a Brazilian Population Sample of 3455 Teeth. Part 1: the Mandible

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Extraction of third molars is one the most common procedures carried out by Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the potential complications of such intervention are well-documented.PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to find the associations between these complications and variables related either to the teeth or the patients and thus help surgeons to predict and prevent them.METHODS: Our study evaluate the prevalence of complications in extractions of the lower third molars using a Brazilian population sample over a period of 10 years to establish the probability of these complications and their association with variables such as age, sex and tooth position in the arch. The same variables were used to determine previous pericoronitis. This is a retrospective cross-sectional observational study, following the STROBE guidelines.RESULTS and CONCLUSIONS: One thousand and nine patients had 1,822 third molars extracted, with no associations detected between systemic conditions and complications, although these patients are 1.9 times more likely to have pericoronitis. Pericoronitis was more prevalent in healthy patients, with Pell & Gregory classification A and III and distoangular position. These findings corroborate the current literature when comparing Pell and Gregory classification and the higher prevalence of complications.