title: Progression of periodontal disease in the second/third molar region in subjects with asymptomatic third molars.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the change in periodontal status over time by periodontal probing depth (PD) in the third molar region.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data for these analyses are part of a study of subjects enrolled with 4 asymptomatic third molars with adjacent second molars in an institutional review board-approved longitudinal trial. Full mouth periodontal probing was conducted to determine periodontal status at baseline and follow-up. Panoramic radiographs were analyzed for angulation and degree of eruption of third molars. Subjects were categorized as those who exhibited at least a 2 mm change in periodontal PD between baseline and follow-up in the third molar region, the distal of a second molar or around a third molar, and those who did not exhibit a 2 mm or greater change. Subjects with and without changes in PD were compared with Cochran-Mantel-Haenzsel statistics. Level of significance was set at 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 254 subjects with at least 2 annual follow-up visits were available for analysis. Mean age at baseline was 27.5 years. Median follow-up from baseline to the second follow-up visit was 2.2 years (interquartile range 2.0, 2.6). At enrollment, 59% of the subjects had at least 1 PD > or =4 mm in the third molar region, one quarter had a PD > or =5 mm. Twenty-four percent of the subjects had at least 1 tooth that had an increased PD > or =2 mm in the third molar region at follow-up. If subjects had at least 1 PD > or =4 mm at baseline, 38% had at least 1 PD deepen by 2 mm or more at follow-up. Only 3% of those who had all teeth with a PD of less than 4 mm at baseline exhibited a change of > or =2 mm (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased periodontal PDs > or =2 mm were often found in the third molar region for asymptomatic subjects with at least 1 PD > or =4 mm at enrollment, clinical measures that indicated increased periodontal pathology, and a deteriorating periodontal condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7450, USA.
authors.forename: George H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Blakey
authors.forename: M Thomas
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Jacks
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Offenbacher
authors.forename: Paige E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Nance
authors.forename: Ceib
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Haug
authors.forename: Raymond P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008963:Molar; D008964:Molar, Third; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010512:Periodontal Index