Third Molar Impactions : Impaction status of third molars among rural and urban populations of south India

Till today, Dental caries and periodontal diseases are considered to be as the major oral health problems of public health concern in the Dental literature. But in the recent times, a new oral health problem in the form of 'third molar impaction' is gaining public health importance due to increased magnitude of its occurrence in the younger generations. All documented surveys on the prevalence of this condition were reported on the urban communities and there were few studies reported on its prevalence among the rural communities. Hence, the present study was undertaken with the objective to assess and compare the patterns of third molar impactions among the rural and urban populations of Dharwad district of Karnataka. 18.66% of the total study subjects had impacted third molars.14.92% of rural and 27.4% of urban subjects had impacted third molars.Vertical type of impaction is the most commonest in its occurrence among both the groups.Third molar impactions are noticed more in the mandible than in the maxilla in both the groups nd the difference was statistically significant.