No abstract
Objective: to review the literature currently available on the evidence that does or does not justify the prophylactic extraction of unerupted asymptomatic third molars. Material and Methods: the electronic databases PubMed, Capes Periodicals, Web of Science and Scopus were searched from November to December 2016 by two authors, simultaneously, using as search terms: Terceiro Molar/Molar, Third AND Extração Profilática/Prophylatic Removal OR Prophylatic Extraction. We included articles from original research and clinical trials published in English and Portuguese. No limits were applied to the date of publication. Review articles and clinical case reports were removed. Results: we identified 13 studies that addressed, at some aspect, the prophylactic removal of unerupted asymptomatic third molars. The results of this literature review which alluded to the potential for the formation of pathological alterations in asymptomatic third molars are conflicting; While some justifies the prophylactic procedure based on the possible formation of associated lesions, other scientific evidence does not support such practice. Conclusion: in view of the conflicting viewpoints found in the literature, the prophylactic removal of asymptomatic third molars requires case-by-case evaluation of each patient, and the decision-making process, regarding the retention versus the prophylactic removal of these teeth should be based on scientific evidence combined with the clinical experience of the professional.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.