Perawatan Perikoronitis Kronis dengan Operkulektomi Metode Konvensional: Laporan Kasus

Pericoronitis is a common inflammatory process of the soft tissue covering mandibular third molars with partial eruption. Plaque buildup beneath the operculum is usually the cause. Definitive care such as extraction or operculectomy or nonsurgical treatment is an option of management. The purpose of this case report is to present the clinical treatment and healing result of a partially erupted mandibular third molar with chronic pericoronitis with traditional operculectomy. A 21-year-old female patient complained of constant pain and swelling in the lower right posterior area. Chronic pericoronitis associated with a vertically impacted mandibular third molar (tooth 48) was diagnosed based on clinical and radiographic examination. Following initial phase therapy, which included dental health education, scaling, root planing, and an operculectomy using a scalpel was performed. There was no reported complication, and healing was uneventful. Chronic pericoronitis is successfully treated with routine operculectomy, especially when the third molar is well positioned. It preserves the tooth intact with minimal morbidity, facilitates healing, and prevents recurrence.