Third Molar Removal and Orofacial Pain: a Population-Based Survey

Macfarlane, Tatiana V; Blinkhorn, Anthony S; Stevenson, Laura J; Coulthard, Paul

doi:10.5037/jomr.2010.1304

e4	Third Molar Removal and Orofacial Pain: a Population-Based Survey Tatiana V. Macfarlane, Anthony S. Blinkhorn, Laura J. Stevenson, Paul Coulthard J Oral Maxillofac Res 2010 (Jul-Sep);1(3):e4 doi:10.5037/jomr.2010.1304 Abstract \| Full Text \| PDF \| XML

Third Molar Removal and Orofacial Pain: a Population-Based Survey

Tatiana V. Macfarlane¹, Anthony S. Blinkhorn², Laura J. Stevenson³, Paul Coulthard⁴

¹Aberdeen Pain Research Collaboration, Division of Applied Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom

²Population Oral Health, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

³Dental Centre, H M S Heron, Royal Naval Air Station, Yeovilton, United Kingdom

⁴Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

Corresponding author:

Tatiana V. Macfarlane

Aberdeen Pain Research Collaboration, Division of Applied Medicine

School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen

Polwarth Building, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD

United Kingdom

Phone: +44 1224 551585

Fax: +44 1224 554761

E-mail: Tatiana.Macfarlane@abdn.ac.uk

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Copyright and Permissions

Copyright © Macfarlane TV, Blinkhorn AS, Stevenson LJ, Coulthard P. Accepted for publication in the JOURNAL OF ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL RESEARCH (http://www.ejomr.org), 12 July 2010.

This is an open-access article, first published in the JOURNAL OF ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL RESEARCH, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work and is properly cited. The copyright, license information and link to the original publication on (http://www.ejomr.org) must be included.

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to investigate whether there was a relationship between a history of third molar removal and the prevalence of orofacial pain in a sample of the general population.

Material and Methods: A survey was conducted in South East Cheshire, United Kingdom (81% participation rate). Information was collected using postal questionnaires (n = 1510) and dental records (n = 809).

Results: Participants who reported third molar extractions were more likely to report orofacial pain (RR = 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 - 1.65). Participants with a more recent history of extractions (< 8 years ago) as recorded in dental records were more likely to report orofacial pain compared to those who had all third molar present (RR = 1.91; 95% CI 1.10 - 3.32).

Conclusions: This research suggests that self-reported third molar removal is linked to self-reported orofacial pain, however evidence from one study is not sufficient to give an unequivocal answer.

J Oral Maxillofac Res 2010 (Jul-Sep);1(3):e4

doi:10.5037/jomr.2010.1304

Accepted for publication: 12 July 2010

Keywords: orofacial pain; third molar; wisdom tooth; tooth extraction; epidemiology.

To cite this article:

Macfarlane TV, Blinkhorn AS, Stevenson LJ, Coulthard P.

Third Molar Removal and Orofacial Pain: a Population-Based Survey.

J Oral Maxillofac Res 2010 (Jul-Sep);1(3):e4

URL: http://www.ejomr.org/JOMR/archives/2010/3/e4/e4ht.htm

doi: 10.5037/jomr.2010.1304

Received: 18 April 2010 | Accepted: 12 July 2010 | Published: 1 October 2010