title: Third molars and dental crowding: different opinions of orthodontists and oral surgeons among Italian practitioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of third molars as a cause of incisor crowding, especially in the lower arch, continues to be controversial. The aim of this work is to compare opinions of Italian oral surgeons and orthodontists on this topic.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred ninety-three Italian practitioners of the Society of Orthodontics (SIDO) and the Italian Society of Oral Surgery (SICOI) were asked to fill out an online questionnaire made up of six questions. Practitioners were asked to express their opinion on the relation between upper and lower third molar eruption and anterior crowding.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred sixty-six members of both societies completed the online research survey; response rate (RR) was 86%. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.005). Both agree not to believe that third molars create a force responsible for anterior crowding in the upper (82.5% orthodontists, 83.8% surgeons) and in the lower arch (52.6% orthodontists, 63.8% surgeons). Both agree also not to consider the upper (89.7% orthodontists, 82.1% surgeons) and lower (58.8% orthodontists, 63.2% surgeons) third molar extraction useful to prevent crowding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Italian orthodontists and oral surgeons have the same opinion on the role of the third molar in causing anterior crowding. The majority of both groups of clinicians do not consider their preventive extraction useful in order to prevent anterior crowding.
authors: Michela
authors: M
authors: Gavazzi
authors: Donato
authors: D
authors: De Angelis
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Blasi
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Pesce
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Lanteri
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology*; D007558:Italy; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000473:pathology*; D009970:Orthodontics; D013515:Surgery, Oral; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014078:Tooth Eruption / Q000502:physiology; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000379:methods