title: The incidence of periodontal defects distal to the maxillary second molar after impacted third molar extraction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the incidence of periodontal defects on the distal aspect of maxillary second molars after extraction of impacted maxillary third molars.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects enrolled in this institutional review board-approved prospective study consisted of healthy young patients having extraction of at least 1 asymptomatic impacted maxillary third molar adjacent to a second molar. Preoperative periodontal probing data were collected from 4 sites (midbuccal, distobuccal, midpalatal, and distopalatal) on each adjacent second molar, and a similar probing examination was performed at a mean of 6 months postoperatively. All subjects were treated under general anesthesia or conscious sedation by upper-level residents in the outpatient clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty subjects with a total of 38 impacted maxillary third molars were treated. There were 9 male subjects (45%) and 11 female subjects (55%), with a mean age of 17 years (range, 14-22 years). The mean follow-up interval was 6 months, with a range of 3 to 15 months. Of the 152 probing sites measured, 92 (61%) decreased, 56 (37%) remained unchanged, and only 4 (2.6%) increased. A decrease in probing depth of 1 mm was found in 35 (23%) of the sites, a decrease of 2 mm was seen in 32 (21%), and 25 (16%) decreased by 3 mm or more. Of the 152 sites probed, 4 (2.6%) increased by 1 or 2 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extraction of the impacted maxillary third molar does not result in significant periodontal defects on the distal aspect of the adjacent second molar, and in many cases it results in an improvement of the probing depths on these teeth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Laskin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008439:Maxillary Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology*; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult