Abstract
Third molar impaction is a common patient complaint in dentistry. Common symptoms are localized pain, swelling, bleeding, and difficulty in mouth opening. Since dental students deal with patients early in their education, for better skill, they should have knowledge of various teeth impactions. Hence, the objective was to find out the knowledge of impacted teeth among undergraduate dental students of a medical college. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among bachelor in dental surgery students of a medical college from November 30, 2020 to April 3, 2021. Data collection was done by convenience sampling after receiving ethical clearance from Institutional Review Committee (Reference 1208202006). A structured questionnaire in Google Forms was sent to 221 participants via Viber. Out of 213 responses received, 144 were analyzed in Excel after discarding for duplication and other errors. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage were analyzed. Out of the total of 144 participants, only 81 (56.3%) (47.89-91.4 at 95% Confidence Interval) had known about the term 'impacted teeth' before joining Bachelor in Dental Surgery course. The source of information was mostly the internet 27 (18.8%) followed by dentist 23 (16%). Most students 116 (80.6%) were familiar with third molar impactions, 62 (43.1%) knew about types of impacted teeth/impaction, and 100 (69.4%) were aware of the complications of not removing impacted teeth. Dental students should be provided with appropriate 'impacted teeth' education supported by practical experience. More detailed information regarding impacted teeth should be included in the curriculum for better understanding.
Highlights
Third molar impaction is a common patient complaint in dentistry
More detailed information regarding impacted teeth should be included in the curriculum for better understanding
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students of Kathmandu Medical College and Teaching Hospital (KMCTH), Kathmandu, Nepal after obtaining ethical clearance from Institutional Review Committee (Ref. 1208202006)
Summary
Third molar impaction is a common patient complaint in dentistry. Common symptoms are localized pain, swelling, bleeding, and difficulty in mouth opening. Since dental students deal with patients early in their education, for better skill, they should have knowledge of various teeth impactions. The objective was to find out the knowledge of impacted teeth among undergraduate dental students of a medical college. Third molars are the most commonly impacted teeth and account for 98% of all impactions.[2]. The most common symptoms with third molar impactions are localised pain, swelling, and bleeding which are due to pericoronitis. Pericoronitis is inflammation of gingival overgrowth, the operculum.[3] Food particles and bad oral hygiene can predispose to caries and further aggravate the symptoms. Trismus (limited mouth opening) can occur as complication
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