Knowledge of Impacted Teeth among the Undergraduate Dental Students of a Medical College: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Third molar impaction is a common patient complaint in dentistry. Common symptoms are localized pain, swelling, bleeding, and difficulty in mouth opening. Since dental students deal with patients early in their education, for better skill, they should have knowledge of various teeth impactions. Hence, the objective was to find out the knowledge of impacted teeth among undergraduate dental students of a medical college. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among bachelor in dental surgery students of a medical college from November 30, 2020 to April 3, 2021. Data collection was done by convenience sampling after receiving ethical clearance from Institutional Review Committee (Reference 1208202006). A structured questionnaire in Google Forms was sent to 221 participants via Viber. Out of 213 responses received, 144 were analyzed in Excel after discarding for duplication and other errors. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage were analyzed. Results: Out of the total of 144 participants, only 81 (56.3%) (47.89-91.4 at 95% Confidence Interval) had known about the term ‘impacted teeth’ before joining Bachelor in Dental Surgery course. The source of information was mostly the internet 27 (18.8%) followed by dentist 23 (16%). Most students 116 (80.6%) were familiar with third molar impactions, 62 (43.1%) knew about types of impacted teeth/impaction, and 100 (69.4%) were aware of the complications of not removing impacted teeth. Conclusions: Dental students should be provided with appropriate ‘impacted teeth’ education supported by practical experience. More detailed information regarding impacted teeth should be included in the curriculum for better understanding.

Comparison of distribution and frequency of impacted teeth before and during COVID-19 pandemic in dental hospital: a descriptive study

“…Therefore, ideally all impacted third molar should be removed, unless contraindicated. [12][13][14][15] Based on gender (Table 2), the numbers of patients with impacted teeth both before and during the pandemic were 452 (63.3%) and 385 (66.6%), and were dominated by females. The study conducted in Kuwaiti by Ali, et al, 7 had the same results too, from a total of 932 cases there were 411 (44%) males and 521 (56%) females.…”

“…Therefore, ideally all impacted third molar should be removed, unless contraindicated. [12][13][14][15] The frequent indication of third molar removal is pericoronitis, dental caries, orthodontic treatment, periodontal disease, facial pain, root resorption and odontogenic cyst and tumour, and pain of unexplained origin. [16][17][18][19][20] The high prevalence of impacted teeth and the COVID-19 pandemic interest the authors in seeking more information about this.…”

Ectopic dental inclusion: A literature review

“…The frequency is relatively rare, consequently, it is difficult to specify percentages because there are no studies that refer to the presence of these ectopies, they generally remain asymptomatic for several years before being diagnosed, therefore it is normal that they go unnoticed or they are simply not reported in the literature (11). The dental group with the highest frequency of ectopic inclusion are: third molars and canines (12).…”

Awareness of patients with impacted teeth about impacted teeth in Turkey: A questionnaire study

“…Researchers have focused on the prevalence, incidence, and treatment of impacted teeth. Twyana et al [ 10 ] conducted a study to measure dental students' knowledge of impacted teeth. Although all participants were dental students, half of them lacked knowledge about impacted teeth.…”