Stomatology ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (11): 808-813.doi: 10.13591/j.cnki.kqyx.2025.11.002

• Basic and Clinical Research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Study on the correlation between the growth and eruption of the mandibular third molar and the crowding of the mandibular dentition

WANG Yuting1, HU Min2, FAN Wei3, GU Qihui4, WANG Zhendong5, ZHU Linlin6()   

  1. The Nanyuan Department, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University; State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Research, Prevention and Treatment for Oral Diseases; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Stomatological Translational Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China
  • Received:2025-01-11 Online:2025-11-28 Published:2025-11-18
  • Contact: ZHU Linlin E-mail:zhulynn768@126.com

Abstract:

Objective To explore the association between the growth condition of mandibular third molars(M3) and the parameters of mandibular dental arch through a retrospective cross-sectional study on M3 in adults, and to provide a basis for the selection of clinical treatment of M3. Methods A total of 221 adult patients were randomly selected for our study. Dolphin software was used to analyze the CBCT of all the patients. Parameters of the mandibular dentition including the entire dental crowding(EDC) were recorded. Then the association between M3 growth condition and these parameters was analyzed. Results The mesio-impacted angle of M3 was positively correlated with EDC(P<0.05), and negatively correlated with the retromolar space(RMS, P<0.01). It was worth noting that median mesio-impacted M3 significantly increased EDC(P<0.01), and the erupting M3 in the vertical orthotopic position significantly increased RMS(P<0.01). Conclusion For patients with median mesio-impacted M3 or insufficient RMS, preventive removal of M3 may be considered clinically, which may help to reduce crowding and prevent relapse after orthodontic treatment.

Key words: mandibular third molar, dental crowding, CBCT, orthodontic treatment

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