Radiolucency below the crown of mandibular horizontal incompletely impacted third molars and acute inflammation in men with diabetes

Age-related disruption of the lamina dura: evidence in the mandibular horizontal incompletely impacted third molar

Changes in the lamina dura are associated with dental diseases around the root of the tooth and with systemic diseases; however, the lamina dura below the crown of horizontal, incompletely impacted third molars has not been studied. Using orthopantomography, we studied the age of subjects with and without the lamina dura in 419 subjects. The participants were between the ages of 21 and 89 years. Mean age in men with the lamina dura was 30.29 ± 9.92 and without the lamina dura was 47.64 ± 16.32 (P < 0.0001), and in women with a lamina dura it was 29.65 ± 8.19 and without a lamina dura 41.97 ± 11.07 (P < 0.0001). To study the effect of aging, the relationship between the lamina dura and dental status was assessed in subjects over the age of 31 years. Alveolar bone resorption in the canine and the first molar of the ipsilateral mandible in subjects without the lamina dura was not significantly higher than in those with the lamina dura. There were no significant differences in the number of teeth lost, except in men, the number of treated teeth and the number of decayed teeth differed between groups. Disruption of the lamina dura was related to age, but with no alveolar bone resorption in the mandible.

Acute inflammation in horizontal incompletely impacted third molar with radiolucency in the elderly

Although radiolucency has been shown as a risk of infection, the poorly understood effects of aging on radiolucency correlate with acute pericoronitis, which has a high risk of infection extending any complications. We reviewed the records of 346 consecutive patients aged more than 41 years to evaluate whether pericoronal radiolucency below the crown in mandibular horizontal incompletely impacted third molars is related to acute inflammation. The frequency of acute inflammation in teeth with pericoronal radiolucency below the crown was similar to that in teeth without; however, the odds ratio of acute inflammation exhibited in women aged more than 61 years compared to women aged 41–50 years was 9.77 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.67–57.29; P < <0.05), and in women aged more than 61 years compared to women aged 51–60 years was 26.25 (95% CI: 2.94–234.38; P < 0.01). The odds ratio of severe acute inflammation exhibited in men aged more than 61 years compared to men aged 41–50 years was 16.67 (95% CI: 1.76–158.27; P < 0.01). These odds ratios indicate an association of acute pericoronitis, including the severe forms of acute inflammation that result from pericoronitis, with pericoronal radiolucency below the crown in the elderly.