Third-molar removal patterns in an insured population

Background. The authors-examined third-molar removal patterns in an insured population to see how these patterns compare with recommendations in the l iterature. Method. The source of treatment data was insurance claims for services rend ered from July 1991 through December 1999; it included approximately 100 mi llion dental procedures provided to about 7.4 million patients from all 50 states. The insured were and their public and private employees and their d ependents. Results. The authors found that third molars were the most commonly extract ed permanent teeth and they most often were removed from adoloscents. Frida y was the day of the week on which most extractions occured, and the favore d month was August followed by July, December and by the authors' analysis was that there was that there was substantial variation among dental practi ces in whether patients had third molars some dental practices rarely were referred practices, most or all had third molars removed. Conclusions. Third-molar removal patterns suggest that many third molars ar e not removed in response to acute pathology, and the observed variation in the likelihood and timing of these extractions reflects the lack of consen sus on this topic in the dental litrature. Clinical Implications. The apparant lack of concensus on third-molar remova l should be resolved for the profession to maintain the confidence of the p ublic that the recommended care is based on sound evidence.