TABLE 2—
Outcomes of Third Molar Removal or Retention: Northwest Practice-based Research Collaborative in Evidence-based DENTistry, Pacific Northwest, 2009–2012
| Third Molar Removal |
Third Molar Retention |
||||||
| Variable | No. Cases | Total, Person-Years | Rate per 100 Person-Years (95% CI) | No. Cases | Total, Person-Years | Rate per 100 Person-Years (95% CI) | |
| TMD | |||||||
| Jaw clicking or popping | 16 | 137 | 11.7 (7.2, 19.0) | 56 | 363 | 15.4 (12.3, 19.4) | |
| Jaw pain on opening | 38 | 131 | 29.0 (20.5, 41.1) | 24 | 435 | 5.5 (3.8, 7.9) | |
| Pain in temples, jaw joint, or jaw muscles | 19 | 135 | 14.0 (8.2, 23.9) | 27 | 431 | 6.3 (4.1, 9.6) | |
| Either type of TMD pain symptoms | 43 | 126 | 34.3 (24.0, 48.9) | 38 | 431 | 8.8 (6.4, 12.2) | |
| Paresthesia | |||||||
| Paresthesia of lips | 11 | 190 | 5.8 (3.0, 11.3) | 2 | 549 | 0.4 (0.1, 1.4) | |
| Paresthesia of tongue | 8 | 191 | 4.2 (1.9, 9.1) | 3 | 546 | 0.5 (0.2, 1.7) | |
| Paresthesia of lips, tongue, or both | 12 | 190 | 6.3 (3.4, 11.8) | 4 | 548 | 0.7 (0.3, 1.9) | |
| Dental cariesa | |||||||
| Dental caries at distal of second molars | 1 | 528 | 0.2 (0.0, 1.4) | 4 | 678 | 0.6 (0.2, 1.5) | |
| Dental caries at occlusal of third molars | NA | 9 | 275 | 3.3 (1.6, 6.8) | |||
| Dental caries at all other surfaces of third molars | NA | 3 | 1226 | 0.2 (0.1, 1.1) | |||
| Dental caries on third molars, overall | NA | 12 | 1501 | 0.8 (0.4, 1.7) | |||
Note. CI = confidence interval; NA = not applicable; TMD = temporomandibular joint disorder.
a
Dental caries are reported in surface-years