Vi. Ugboko et al., An investigation into the relationship between mandibular third molars andangle fractures in Nigerians, BR J ORAL M, 38(5), 2000, pp. 427-429
We examined the relationship between the presence or absence of mandibular
third molars and angle fractures in Nigerians between January 1976 and July
1997. Information was obtained from patients' case records and radiographs
.
A total of 490 patients were seen during the study period, 408 of whom (83%
) had their third molars present, and 76 of whom had angle fractures. Road
traffic accidents (n=304, 62%) were the main cause of the fractures. Of the
se, 44 (14%) had angle fractures compared with 14/75 (19%) patients in whom
the mechanism of injury was a fight or assault.
Sixty-five of the 408 patients whose third molars,were present (16%) had an
gle fractures, as did 11/82 (13%) who did not have third molars (p=0.57). O
f the 77 patients whose lower third molars were not erupted, 24 (31%) had a
ngle fractures compared with 52/331 (16%) in whom the lower third molars we
re erupted (p=0.002),
These findings suggest that angle fractures are uncommon in this population
because of their particular mechanism of injury. In addition, the presence
of a lower third molar does not necessarily predispose to fractures of the
angle of the mandible, However, angle fractures are more likely to occur i
n people with unerupted lower third molars than in those in whom they have
erupted. (C) 2000 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
s.