IMPACTED THIRD MOLARS AND ASSOCIATED RISK OF MANDIBULAR ANGLE FRACTURE - A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Objective: To determine frequency of impacted third molar in mandibular angle fracture. Materials and Methods: This descriptive, cross sectional study was carried out in the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Khyber College of Dentistry Peshawar from April 2016 to March 2017. 216 patients with mandible angle fractures were included in the study. Data regarding gender, age, angle fracture and impacted mandibular third molar were collected through history, clinical examination and was confirmed by orthopentomogram (OPG). Impacted third molar in mandibular angle fracture was stratified using chi square test among gender and age. P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Among 216 patients presenting with angle fractures , impacted lower third molar was present in 179 patients (82.9%) and absent in 37 patients (17.1%).Amongst them 181 (83.8%) were males and 35 (16.2%) females. Mandibular angle fracture was predominant in male gender with male to female ratio of 5.17:1. The mean age was 24.69 SD± 6.61. Most of the patients were in third decade (44.9%) followed by second decade (39.3%). Conclusion: The results of current study support that the frequency of impacted third molar was high in patients presenting with fractures of mandibular angle region and males were more commonly involved in than females. Third decade of life was the commonest age group for mandibular angle fractures.