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General dental practitioners' evaluation of the need for extraction of asymptomatic mandibular third molars
Author(s) -
Knutsson Kerstin,
Brehmer Berndt,
Lysell Leif,
Rohlin Madeleine
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1992.tb00696.x
Subject(s) - medicine , molar , asymptomatic , dentistry , impaction , mandibular second molar , orthodontics , surgery
Thirty general dental practitioners were asked to evaluate the need for extraction of asymptomatic mandibular third molars. Thirty‐six mandibular third molars with equal distribution of angular positions, impaction status, males and females and age groups were selected. To estimate the consistency of the evaluation, the 36 cases were duplicated so that, in all, 72 teeth were evaluated. The number of molars proposed to he extracted by the observers varied from 0 to 26, There was no third molar which all observers agreed should be extracted. The two molars which most observers, 25 and 23 of altogether 30 observers, proposed to be extracted were partially covered by soft tissue. The decision not to extract two molars was unanimous. Both of these were completely covered by hone tissue and positioned vertically. The mean overall infra‐observer agreement for the therapeutical decision was 92%, with a range of 69–100%. The length of professional experience of the observer did not influence the evaluation whether or not to extract. We conclude that there is a great variation among general dental practitioners regarding their evaluation on the need for removal of asymptomatic mandibular third molars.