Third molars and dental crowding: different opinions of orthodontists and oral surgeons among Italian practitioners

Background The role of third molars as a cause of incisor crowding, especially in the lower arch, continues to be controversial. The aim of this work is to compare opinions of Italian oral surgeons and orthodontists on this topic. Methods One hundred ninety-three Italian practitioners of the Society...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Progress in orthodontics 2014-11, Vol.15 (1), p.60-60, Article 60
Main Authors: Gavazzi, Michela, De Angelis, Donato, Blasi, Sergio, Pesce, Paolo, Lanteri, Valentina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude of Health Personnel
Dental Arch - pathology
Dentistry
Humans
Incisor - pathology
Italy
Malocclusion - etiology
Malocclusion - prevention & control
Mandible - pathology
Maxilla - pathology
Medicine
Middle Aged
Molar, Third - pathology
Orthodontics
Surgery, Oral
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tooth Eruption - physiology
Tooth Extraction - methods
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Summary:Background The role of third molars as a cause of incisor crowding, especially in the lower arch, continues to be controversial. The aim of this work is to compare opinions of Italian oral surgeons and orthodontists on this topic. Methods One hundred ninety-three Italian practitioners of the Society of Orthodontics (SIDO) and the Italian Society of Oral Surgery (SICOI) were asked to fill out an online questionnaire made up of six questions. Practitioners were asked to express their opinion on the relation between upper and lower third molar eruption and anterior crowding. Results One hundred sixty-six members of both societies completed the online research survey; response rate (RR) was 86%. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups ( P > 0.005). Both agree not to believe that third molars create a force responsible for anterior crowding in the upper (82.5% orthodontists, 83.8% surgeons) and in the lower arch (52.6% orthodontists, 63.8% surgeons). Both agree also not to consider the upper (89.7% orthodontists, 82.1% surgeons) and lower (58.8% orthodontists, 63.2% surgeons) third molar extraction useful to prevent crowding. Conclusions Italian orthodontists and oral surgeons have the same opinion on the role of the third molar in causing anterior crowding. The majority of both groups of clinicians do not consider their preventive extraction useful in order to prevent anterior crowding.
ISSN:2196-1042
1723-7785
2196-1042
DOI:10.1186/s40510-014-0060-y