Evaluation of panoramic radiography at showing width of the dental follicle

Considering probable incidence of pathological changes in the follicles of impacted teeth, this study is conducted to evaluate pericoronal radiolucency of impacted third molars. In this cross-sectional study, widths of follicular spaces of 201 impacted third molars were measured on panoramic radiographs. Under local anesthesia, the teeth along with the dental follicles were surgically removed. After routine procedure, they histopathological were examined. After evaluating 201 dental follicles it was observed that, 50.7% of cases [102 cases] showed pathological changes and all of them were dentigerous cysts. Incidence of cystic changes in the follicles of third molars of patients aged 21 years and above, is 1.465 times more than patients who were under 21 years old. Also in dental follicles of lower third molars, the incidence of pathological changes was 1.957 times more than maxilla. Cystic changes in the evaluation of follicular widths up to 1.5 mm, was observed in 48% of cases, up to 2 mm, in 73.5% of cases, up to 2.5 mm, in 87.2% of cases and up to 3 mm, in 92.1% of cases. It seems that occurrence of cystic changes in dental follicles increases with increase in age and width of follicular space. However, considering the high incidence of cystic changes in pericoronal radiolucency around the impacted third molars, this study supports the prophylactic removal of impacted third molars