Oral Health and Maxillofacial Research

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim was to determine the relation of condylar fractures with mandibular impacted third molars

Material and methods: 178 patients with facial fractures who visited to the oral and maxillofacial surgery department of Khyber College of Dentistry in Peshawar were the subjects of this descriptive cross-sectional study. Information on gender, age, mandibular condyler fracture, and the angulations and locations of the mandibular third molars was obtained through history, clinical examination, and radiographic confirmation. The relationship between an impacted lower third tooth and a condylar fracture was examined using the Chi-Square test.

Results: The males (n=140, 78.7%) were more than females (n=38, 21.3%). The mean age was 29.33±11.25 years. Of total 178 cases with impacted mandibular third molar 125 (70.2%) had condylar fracture. There was no statistically significant correlation between the horizontal pattern of third molar impaction and condylar fracture (P=0.748). Class A had the strongest correlation (n=119, 95.2%) between condylar fracture and the vertical pattern of lower third molar impaction (P=0.015). Likewise, there was an extremely strong statistical correlation (P<0.001) between condylar fracture and the angulation of lower third molar impaction. The mesioangular pattern had a high condylar fracture rate (n=120, 96%).

Conclusions: The most frequent cause of condylar fracture is the presence of an impacted third molar in the mandible. The vertical position and angulation of the impacted third molar with condylar fracture were found to be significantly correlated.

KEYWORDS

1. Impacted tooth
2. Mandibular Third molar
3. Condylar fracture