Presence of partially erupted third molars may contribute to periodontal disease around the second molars. In a land mark study published in the Journal of Oral & maxillofacial surgery, Blakey GH et al, studied the association between visible third molars and the prevalence of periodontal inflammatory disease of non-third molars. Subjects aged 14 to 45 years with 4 asymptomatic third molars were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved study. Subjects were classified based on whether at least 1 third molar was visible or all third molars were not visible. The study showed that the visible presence of third molars in adolescents and young adults was significantly associated with periodontal inflammatory disease of non-third molars. Copyright 2010 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2010 Feb;68(2):325-9. Epub 2010 Jan 15.

Blakey GH, Gelesko S, Marciani RD, Haug RH, Offenbacher S, Phillips C, White RP Jr.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.