Qualitative and quantitative assessment of relationship between mandibular third molar and angle fracture on North Indian population: A clinico-radiographic study

OBJECTIVE To assess the relationship between impacted mandibular third molar presence and the risk for mandibular angle fracture with the effect of various positions of mandibular third molar and the risk of mandibular angle fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the North Indian territory, a total of 289 patients with mandibular angle fractures were studied and evaluated for the possible relationship with impacted third molar on the basis of clinical and panoramic radiographical findings. RESULTS Results that confirmed the highest risk for mandibular angle fracture was associated with mesioangular angulations (45.42%) followed by vertical (26.34%), distoangular in sequence and least risk was found with bucco-version angulations (2.67%) according to Winter's classification. Additionally, the highest risk of mandibular angle fracture was reported with partially erupted third molar (47.75%), followed by erupted (23.53%) and unerupted third molar (19.38%). CONCLUSION The risk for mandibular angle fracture is not only affected by status of eruption, angulations, position, number of roots present in third molar but also by the distance of mandibular third molar from inferior border of mandible and the percentage of remaining amount of bone at the mandibular angle region.