Frequency of third molar agenesis: relation to jaw size : relación con el tamaño mandibular
Introduction: A research article derived from the project entitled “Third Molar Agenesis in Patients at the Orthodontia Postgraduate Clinics at the Universidad Antonio Nariño” carried out in 2011 by the Oral Health Research Group at that same university. Some authors believe that third molar agenesis may be evidence of evolutionary trends, showing a decrease in the size of the jaws and the number of teeth, but in some studies this has been questioned. The objective of this research was to determine the frequency of agen- esis of third molar teeth and its relation to mandibular length and width.
Materials and method: A descriptive study was performed; our sample included the medical records of 220 patients, between the ages of 14 and 20, with study models and panoramic and lateral x-rays. Third molar agenesis was recorded and the mandibular length was taken using cephalometric tracing of the lateral X-ray; the mandibular width transversal measurement was taken using the models.
Results: The frequency of third molar agenesis was 24.1%. The most frequent agenesis involved just one third molar (10.9%). The most frequent agenesis quadrant was the right lower quadrant. Mandibular length and transverse length did not differ in individuals with and without third molar agenesis.
Conclusions: The results show that the frequency of third molar agenesis is within the reported percentages. There is no significant relationship between man- dibular size and third molar agenesis.
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