Assessing position changes of impacted third molars in treatment of class II malocclusion with premolars extraction.

Abstract

Third molars (M3) remaining impacted in Class II malocclusion characterised with sagittal mandibular deficiency is a high probability. The null hypothesis of this study is that mesioangular M3s changes position through the eruption way inClass II malocclusion treatmentrequiring moderate anchoragewith four first premolars extraction.The aim of this study is to reconsider the decision to surgically extract impacted third molars in four premolars extraction treatment of Class II malocclusion. The materials consisted of the pre-treatment and post-treatment lateral cephalograms and orthopantomographs of 30 individuals with skeletal and dental Class II malocclusion with a mean chronological age of 13.48 years, who were treated by the same clinician (H.G.) with four first premolar extractions via the straight wire technique at the Ankara University Faculty of Dentistry Department of Orthodontics, Ankara, Turkey. The sagittal position of the upper and lower incisors and molars, M3position and M3space were evaluated with the paired-t test; the relationship between the sagittal position of the upper and lower incisors and molars and the change in M3position were evaluated with correlation analysis. Results: The study found the retroclination and mesial movement of the upper incisors and molars, and an increase in the M3space by the fixed orthodontictreatment. An insignificant steepening of both the upper right M3position and the lower right M3position was found. A statistically significant increase in the lower right and left side M3spaces was found. Positive correlations between lower right M3angulation and the sagittal position of the lower incisors and first molars were found. Improvement in the mesioangulation of the M3s and an increase in the M3space were achieved in this study. Based on the findings, it is useful to review the decision for prophylactic surgical extraction of the M3s before orthodontic treatment in such cases, taking into account the risks of postoperative complications.