ABSTRACT
Forty eight patients participated in the present study. They were divided according to the width of non-pathological radiographic pericoronal radiolucency into group one with pericoronal radiolucencies having width of less than 1mm, and group two with pericoronal radiolucency less than 2.5 mm but more than 1 mm. The present study was designed to find out firstly; the possible incidence of histopathological changes in the soft tissues adjacent to impacted mandibular third molar that were asymptomatic and not associated with pathological pericoronal radiographic radiolucency. Secondly, to examine if the pathological changes, in the soft tissue around the asymptomatic impacted third molars; parallel those noted in the radiographic radiolucency. The pericoronal soft tissue were removed after the extraction of teeth, fixed in 10% formaline. and processed to be submitted for the histological study. The examination revealed firstly; mild variable tissue changes in the different tissue specimens which dose not encourage the prophylactic removal of impacted third molars because the histological changes were not conclusive for cystic degeneration. Secondly; no significant histopathological differences had been recorded between the two groups of different radiolucencies