title: Distal cervical caries in second molars associated with impacted mandibular third molars: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study compares the incidence of cervical caries in the mandibular second molar associated with impacted third molar with that of fully erupted third molar. STUDY DESIGN: The participants consisted of subjects with second molar adjacent to an impacted third molar (study group), and subject with second molar adjacent to a fully erupted third molar (control group). Incidence of cervical caries on the second molar and other variables were recorded and analyzed for both groups. RESULTS: The incidence of distal cervical caries in the study group was 15.7% and no case of distal cervical caries was seen in the control (P = .000). DMF score in study group was significantly lower than in control (P = .000). The incidence of distal cervical caries increased with age of subjects and DMF scores (P ≤ .05). CONCLUSIONS: Distal cervical caries in second molars is a phenomenon limited only to impacted mandibular third molars.
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olabisi H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Oderinu
authors.forename: Wasiu L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Adeyemo
authors.forename: Michael O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Adeyemi
authors.forename: Olusgeun
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nwathor
authors.forename: Moshood F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Adeyemi