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Pathology related to third molars in the elderly persons

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Abstract

Objectives

The objective of this study was to clarify the discrepancy of pathology between earlier and recent studies related to third molars in the elderly persons. Evidence of third molars in the elders is limited. Earlier radiographic studies show rather few pathologic findings related to third molars. Recently, clinical studies have shown totally different numbers for pathology.

Materials and methods

Participants were drawn from the population-based Helsinki Aging Study. The study included panoramic radiographs of 293 persons (mean age 79 years, SD ± 3.9 years). We examined the prevalence of third molars and associated pathology and used the chi-squared test to perform the statistical analysis.

Results

Of the whole group of elderly persons, 19 % had at least one third molar. The usual dental diseases, caries and periodontal pathology (80 and 33 %, respectively), were common in the third molars. The surviving third molar most often appeared in the mandible (P < 0.01), in men (P < 0.05), in the mesioangular position (P < 0.05), and far from the mandibular canal (P < 0.001). Pathology was present in every third molar, although the proportion of serious pathology (i.e., cyst and tumor), accounted for only 2 % of third molars.

Conclusions

Although serious pathology related to third molars in the elders is uncommon, universal biofilm diseases (caries and periodontal pathology) widely affect third molars as well as all other teeth.

Clinical relevance

Because all of the surviving third molars of the elders were diseased, it would be justifiable to extract these teeth at a younger age.

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Acknowledgments

We are deeply indebted to Professor Anja Ainamo who started the oral part of the Helsinki Aging Study and made it possible to use the described material for the present study.

Ethical standards

The Ethics Committee of the Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, approved the study protocol. The study also complies with the Helsinki Declaration, and each subject was informed about the study protocol and provided their written informed consent.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 41, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Irja Ventä, Eeva Kylätie & Kaija Hiltunen

Authors
  1. Irja Ventä
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  2. Eeva Kylätie
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  3. Kaija Hiltunen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Irja Ventä.

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Ventä, I., Kylätie, E. & Hiltunen, K. Pathology related to third molars in the elderly persons. Clin Oral Invest 19, 1785–1789 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-014-1395-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-014-1395-y

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