RÉSUMÉ
It has been generally believed that the impaction or eruption of mandibular third molars has significant correlations with the growth of the mandible, size of mandibular arch and size of teeth. The purpose of this study was to examine if there is any correlation between the status of eruption of mandibular third molars and the amount of mandibular crowding. The effect of missing of third moalrs to mandibular crowding was studied as well. 140 adult students of Yonsei University were selected and divided into three groups according to the status of mandibular third molars, Group 1) congenital missing group, Group 2) eruption group, and Group 3) impaction group. The tooth size, dimensions of the mandibular dental arch, and the amount of crowding were measured and compared. Results were as follows; 1. There was no statistically significant difference in tooth size between the missing group and the eruption group(p<0.05). Impaction group showed larger total tooth material, incisal tooth material, and individual tooth size except central incisors compared to missing group (p<0.05). Impaction group showed larger total tooth material, incisal tooth material compared to eruption group as well(p<0.05). When individual tooth size was compared, impaction group had larger central incisors, canines, and second premolars than eruption group(p<0.05). 2. Missing group showed larger intermolar width than impaction group and it was statistically significant(p<0.05). 3. When compared the amount of total crowding, impaction group showed the largest amount of crowding, then eruption group, and missing group showed the least amount of crowding respectively(p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between missing group and eruption group in the amount of incisal crowding (p<0.05). Impaction group showed the largest amount of incisal crowding among all three groups(p<0.05).