Third molars in Norwegian general dental practice

Abstract

A questionnaire containing 37 questions on oral surgery was mailed to a systematic random sample of 500 Norwegian general dental practitioners in October 1989. A 60% return rate was obtained. A selected part of the questionnaire was also presented to all 5th-year dental students in Bergen and Oslo. The total return rate was 43%. From the 17 questions dealt with in this paper the following conclusions were drawn: Norwegian general practitioners' attitudes towards indications for third-molar removal are in general agreement with the current conservative approach. Norwegian 5th-year dental students had more radical attitudes. Norwegian general practitioners indicated the use of adequate technical measures when surgically removing third molars in practice. Every month 4.3 patients presented to general practice with symptoms or findings indicating removal of an impacted or partially erupted third molar. This suggests that in 1 year a situation indicating third-molar removal will occur in 20% of the patients who have third molars.