Prophylactic Removal of Impacted Third Molars: Is it Justified?

Department of Health. Hospital Episode Statistics, England: Financial Year 1994-95 Volume 1: Finished Consultant Episodes by Diagnosis and Operatives Procedure. London: DOH, 1996.

Landes D. P. The relationship between dental health and variations in the level of third molar removals experienced by populations. Community Dental Health 1998; 15L 67–71.

Shepherd J. P. , Brickley M. Surgical removal of third molars. British Medical Journal 1994; 309: 620–621.

Toth B. The Appropriateness of Prophylactic Extraction of Impacted Third Molars. A Review of the Literature. Health Care Evaluation Unit, University of Bristol, 1993.

Gilthorpe M. S. , Bedi R. An exploratory study combining hospital episode statistics with socio-demographic variables, to examine the access and utilisation of hospital oral surgery services. Community Dental Health 1997; 14(4): 209–213.

NIH. Consensus development conference for removal of third molars. Journal of Oral Surgery 1980; 38: 235-236.

Stephens R. G. , Kogon S. L. , Reid J. A. The unerupted or impacted third molar—a critical appraisal of its pathologic potential. Journal of the Canadian Dental Association 1989; 55(3): 201–207.

Ahlqwist M. , Grondahl G. Prevalence of impacted teeth and associated pathology in middle-aged and older Swedish women. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology 1991; 19(2): 116–119.

Mercier P. , Precious D. Risks and benefits of removal of impacted third molars. International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 1992; 21: 17–27.

Worral S. F. , Riden K. , Haskell R. , Corrigan A. M. UK National Third Molar project: the initial report. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 1998; 36(1): 14–18.

Lopes V. , Mumenya R. , Feinmann C. , Harris M. Third molar surgery: an audit of the indications for surgery, post-operative complaints and patient satisfaction. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery1995; 33: 33–35.

Brickley M. , Shepherd J. , Mancini G. Comparison of clinical treatment decisions with US National Institutes of Health consensus indications for lower third molar removal. British Dental Journal(1993); 185: 102–105.

Brickley M. R. , Shepherd J. P. Performance of a neural network trained to make third-molar treatment-planning decisions. Medical Decision Making1996; 16(2): 153–160.

Pratt C. A. M. , Hekmat M. , Barnard J. D. W. , Zaki G. A. Indications for third molar surgery. Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh1998; 43(2): 105–108.

Daley T. D. Third molar prophylactic extraction: a review and analysis of the literature. General Dentistry 1996; 44(4): 310–320.

Von Wowern N. , Nielsen H. O. The fate of impacted lower third molars after the age of 20. A four year clinical follow up. International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 1989; 18(5): 277–280.

Linqvist B. , Thilander B. Extraction of third molars in cases of anticipated crowding in the lower jaw. American Journal of Orthodontics 1982; 81(2): 130–139.

Vasir N. S. , Robinson R. J. The mandibular third molar and late crowding of the mandibular incisors—a review. British Journal of Orthodontics1991; 18: 59–66.

Song F. , Landes D. P. , Glenny A. M. , Sheldon T. A. Prophylactic removal of impacted third molars: an assessment of published reviews. British Dental Journal 1997; 182(9): 339–346.

Harradine N. W. T. , Pearson M. H. , Toth B. The effect of extraction of third molars on late lower incisor crowding: a randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Orthodontics 1998; 25: 117–122.

Carmichael F. A. , McGowan D. A. Incidence of nerve damage following third molar removal: a West of Scotland Oral Surgery Research Group study. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 1992; 30(2):78–82.

Brickley M. , Kay E. , Shepherd J. P. , Armstrong R. A. Decision analysis for lower-third-molar surgery. Medical Decision Making1995; 15(2): 143–151.

Chiapasco M. , Crescentini M. , Romanoni G. Germectomy or delayed removal of mandibular impacted third molars: the relationship between age and incidence of complications. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 1995; 53(4): 418–422.

Larsen P. E. Alveolar osteitis after surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars. Identification of the patient at risk Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology 1992; 73(4): 393–397.

Tullock J. F. , Antczak Bouckoms A. A. Decision analysis in the evaluation of clinical strategies for the management of mandibular third molars. Journal of Dental Education 1987; 51(11): 652–660.

ECRI. Removal of third Molars. Executive Briefings, Health Technology Assessment Information Service 1994.