title: Histopathological evaluation of dental follicles of clinically symptomatic and asymptomatic impacted third molars.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Surgical removal of impacted teeth is a common operation in oral surgery. Thus, pathological potential of impacted third molars is extensively studied. However, many of those studies based on data collected from analysis of radiographs only. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the follicles of symptomatic and asymptomatic impacted third molars histopathologically for a number of characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Records of the patients who had been previously operated for impacted third molars were reviewed. Eighty-three patients were selected and divided into two groups, clinically symptomatic and clinically asymptomatic. None of the patients had a radiographic pericoronal radiolucency of wider than 2.5 mm. Histopathological samples of the patients were obtained and re-examined by two pathologists. Two groups were statistically compared for 12 histological parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven of the 12 parameters had statistically significant differences (P < 0.05), whereas one parameter (odontogenic remnants) was found not to be significantly different between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A delay in impacted third molar surgery can lead to further pathological changes in dental follicles and can increase severity of the inflammation. Moreover, dimensions of the pericoronal radiolucency may not provide a correct interpretation of the pathological changes in the region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Necmettin Erbakan Universtiy, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esen
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Necmettin Erbakan Universtiy, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan Universtiy, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Findik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suren
mesh_terms: D003795:Dental Sac / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology