Agenesis of Third Molars among Turkish Children between the Ages of 12 and 18 Years: A Retrospective Radiographic Study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the agenesis of third molars (M3) in children with permanent dentition in a limited population in the province of Izmir, Turkey.

Study Design: The panoramic radiographs of 773 patients (457 females, 316 males) were evaluated retrospectively at the Dental Hospital of Ministry of Health in İzmir, Turkey. The patients' ages ranged from 12-18 years. The agenesis of M3 teeth was investigated according to maxilla and mandible and right and left distribution.

Results: In 593 of the patients (76.7%), all of the M3 teeth were present in the mouth; while in the other 180 (23.3%) patients, agenesis of a varying number of M3 teeth was identified. In 31 patients (4.0%), total M3 tooth agenesis was observed. A statistically significant relationship was not found between gender and M3 teeth (p=0.091). A statistically significant relationship was found between congenital M3 tooth agenesis and the maxilla (14.3%) and mandible (9.6%) (p<0.001). However, a statistically significant difference was not found between the right-left area of the jaw (p=0.100).

Conclusion: As a result, while all M3 teeth were present in 76.71% of the population studied in the province of Izmir, agenesis of one or more than one M3 tooth was found in the other 23.29% of the patients studied.