Third Molar: Optional Tooth

There is always a nagging question, which heightens my curiosity on the appropriate removal of an impacted thirdmolar in this specific situation: What if you have a carious or beyond-repair second molar or second bicuspid? Willyou try to heroically upright the mesially and horizontally impacted third molars? How about resorbed second molaror a third molar in close proximity of mandibular inferior alveolar nerve.Uprighting of mesially impacted tilted molars is the recommended treatment and should be done as soon as possible. If notproperly corrected, mesially impacted molars may lead to complications such as elongation of opposing teeth, periodontalproblems on the mesial side of the affected teeth, caries in the unerupted molars, temporomandibular disorders and poororal hygiene. Some clinical procedures have been used to upright the third molar. Is it really worth working to leave the thirdmolar be uprighted or have it surgically removed? As most maxillofacial oral surgeons, prefer