The Prevalence of Impacted Teeth in Patients Referred to Selected Dental Clinics in Qom City, 2013, Iran

Tooth impaction is a frequent phenomenon, and its prevalence and distribution have significant variation in different communities. This study was done with the objective of determining the prevalence of impacted teeth and its pattern in patients referred to the selected dental clinics in Qom city. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a total of 260 panoramic radiographs and recorded data of patients referred to 3 selected private dental clinics in Qom (2013), were studied. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistical tests and chi-square or exact Fisher’s tests. The significance level was considered less than 0.05. Among 260 patients, 108 ones (41/5%) had at least one impacted tooth, and the most common impacted teeth were mandibular third molars, especially region of the left mandible. The most prevalent impaction of the third molar was type B impaction in terms of depth, and angulation was mesioangular in mandibule and vertical in maxilla. The prevalence of impaction was higher in females than males, which was not significant (p=0.06). According to the results of this study, the prevalence of impaction was relatively high in the patients referred to dental clinics in Qom city, which shows the importance of timely screening, diagnosis and treatment.