Pattern of mandibular third molar impaction: A cross-sectional study in northeast of Iran.

OBJECTIVES: Impacted teeth, if left untreated, have a potential to induce various complications. The aim of the current study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of impacted mandibular third molar in the Iranian population. STUDY DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was performed in patients who were referred to the Department of Oral Radiology between July 2009 and October 2010 to obtain an orthopantomogram (OPG). Data were collected regarding age and gender, prevalence of impacted mandibular third molars, angulation of impacted teeth (Winter's classification), level of impaction (Pell and Gregory classification), and relationship of the mandibular third molar with the ramus (Pell and Gregory classification). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 11.0 with a confidence interval of 95%. RESULTS: Among the 1433 patients included in the study, 489 (34.12%) patients were male and 944 (65.88%) were female. Of the total OPGs performed, 871 (60.78%) OPGs demonstrated at least one impacted mandibular third molar. In addition, of the 2866 mandibular third molars investigated, 1397 (48.74%) were found to be impacted. A significant association was observed between gender and the number of impacted teeth or the presence of impaction of any mandibular tooth (or teeth) (P < 0.05). The most common type of tooth angulation was mesioangular (48.67%). In addition, the most prevalent type of impaction level and ramus relationship was level B (63.85%) and Class II (48.46%), respectively. There were no significant differences between the two sides of the mandible for the prevalence of impacted third molar (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The pattern of mandibular third molars in the Northeast region of Iran revealed a high prevalence of impaction, which was mostly mesioangular, level B, and Class II with a gender predilection for females.

Effectiveness of green tea mouthwash in comparison to chlorhexidine mouthwash in patients with acute pericoronitis: a randomized clinical trial.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of green tea mouthwash in controlling the pain and trismus associated with acute pericoronitis in comparison to chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwash. Ninety-seven patients with acute pericoronitis underwent debridement and received 5% green tea mouthwash (study group) or 0.12% CHX mouth rinse (control group). Pain (visual analogue scale; VAS), number of analgesics, maximum mouth opening (MMO), and number of patients with trismus were determined. There were no significant differences in demographic variables (P>0.05), or baseline VAS (P>0.006), MMO (P>0.017) or number of patients with trismus (P>0.017) between the two groups. The mean VAS score of the study group was statistically lower than that of the control group between post-treatment days 3 and 5 (P<0.006). A significantly lower number of analgesics were taken by the study group (P<0.05). Although the MMO of the study group was significantly lower on day 3 (P<0.017), no significant difference was observed on day 7 (P>0.017). Fewer of the patients rinsing with green tea had trismus on days 3 and 7, but the difference was non-significant (P>0.017). Hence, green tea mouth rinse could be an appropriate and effective choice for the control of pain and trismus in acute pericoronitis.