Prevalence of Third Molars With Caries Experience or Periodontal Pathology in Young Adults

Abstract

Assess the prevalence of caries experience and periodontal pathology on asymptomatic third molars in young adults. Healthy subjects with four asymptomatic third molars were enrolled in an IRB-approved longitudinal study at two academic clinical centers over a six year period ending in 2002. Data were collected from each subject at enrollment. Full-mouth periodontal probing, 6 sites per tooth, was conducted as a measure of clinical periodontal status. The presence or absence of caries experience (carious lesions or restorations including sealants) in the occlusal surface of third molars and on any surface of first/second molars were assessed by a visual-tactile caries examination and panoramic radiographs. The primary outcome measures were periodontal probing depth, no probing depth ≥4 mm (PD4-) or at least one 4 mm probing depth (PD4+) and caries experience (DFS+ or DFS-). Descriptive statistics. Data were analyzed from 409 subjects who averaged 25 years old. More subjects were female, 53%, or Caucasian, 76%, but African American subjects were well represented, 14%. Most subjects, 89%, were educated beyond high school. More subjects, 55%, had a PD4+ on a third molar as compared to the distal of a second molar (D2M), 46%. Only 11% subjects had a D2M PD4+ without a third molar also affected. Overall, fewer subjects, 24%, were affected by caries on the third molar (DFS+) than on the first/second molar, 73%. Of the subset of subjects with all four third molars (n=229 ) at the occlusal plane (OP), at least one PD4+ was more likely to be detected around a third molar as compared to subjects who did not have all third molars at the OP. In this subset, 26% were affected by both third molar DFS+ and PD4+, and 16% were free of both caries experience and periodontal pathology. In this cross-sectional analysis of data from healthy young adults, periodontal pathology was detected more frequently on asymptomatic third molars as compared to first/second molar teeth; caries experience was detected more frequently on first/second molars as compared to third molars. Sixteen percent of subjects with four asymptomatic third molars at the occlusal plane were free of both periodontal pathology and caries experience.