title: Soft tissue pathosis associated with asymptomatic impacted lower third molars.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of pathological changes in the pericoronal tissue of asymptomatic impacted lower third molars and to assess the correlation between pathological changes and patient demographic, radiographic and morphological characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follicles associated with fully impacted lower third molars were submitted for histological examination after surgical extraction from 50 patients. The correlation between pathological changes in the dental follicle and age, gender, depth of impaction, angular position, and coverage and tooth development was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cystic changes were observed in 10% of specimens and inflammatory changes in 62%. Incidence of pathological changes was significantly higher in Class B impacted teeth when compared to Class C impacted teeth. A significant correlation was found between epithelial cell activity and the completion of tooth development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend monitoring all third molars whether or not they are symptomatic and conducting histopathological analyses on all surgically extracted follicle tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey. gokselsimsek@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Göksel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Simşek-Kaya
authors.forename: Elvan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Özbek
authors.forename: Yildiray
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kalkan
authors.forename: Günay
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yapici
authors.forename: Ertunç
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dayi
authors.forename: Tuba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demirci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008875:Middle Aged; D008964:Molar, Third; D015995:Prevalence; D014095:Tooth, Impacted; D055815:Young Adult