Incidence of impacted third molars: A radiographic study in People's Hospital, Bhopal, India

ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to evaluate the position of impacted third molars based on the classifications of Pell & Gregory and Winter in a sample of Bhopal patients.Study designIn this retrospective study, up to 1100 orthopantomograms (OPG) of the patients who were reported to the MaxilloFacial Department of PDA and Chowdhary hospital from January 2011 to December 2012 were evaluated.ResultsAmong 1100 patients, 730 were male and 370 were female patients. Of the 1100 OPGs studied, 3,910 third molars were noticed either impacted or erupted and 490 third molars were missing. The most common angulation of impaction in the mandible was in vertical position (41.4%) followed by mesioangular impaction (33.3%) and the most common angulation of impaction in the maxilla was the vertical (67.4%) which was followed by 15.2% in distoangular impaction.The level of eruption of impacted third molar was found to be 43.9% at level A, 34.8% at level B and 21.3% at level C. There was no significant difference between the right and left sides in both the jaws.ConclusionThe pattern of third molar impaction in the region of Bhopal is characterized by a high prevalence of impaction, especially in the mandible. The most common angulation was the vertical in the mandible as well as in the maxilla. The most common level of impaction in mandible was level A and in maxilla is level C and there was no any significant difference between the right and left sides in both jaws.