SynthesisClinical oral investigations2025
Prevalence of distal caries in second molar associated with impacted mandibular third molar and the position and level of impaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Clinical oral investigations, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Piezosurgery-assisted protocol for impacted mandibular third molar removal with 3D facial swelling analysis: a randomized split-mouth clinical trial on post-surgical sequelae.Clinical oral investigations · 2026Trial
- The Association Between Mandibular Third Molar Impaction, Distal Caries of Second Molars, and Pericoronal Follicle Enlargement: A Retrospective Panoramic Radiographic Study.Tomography (Ann Arbor, Mich.) · 2026Article
- Association between mandibular third molar impaction pattern and mandibular crowding severity: a retrospective radiographic study.American journal of translational research · 2026Article
- Assessing the influence of third molar classification on the risk of caries in adjacent teeth.Turkish journal of medical sciences · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe primary objective of this systematic review was to analyze the overall prevalence of distal caries in mandibular second molars (MSMs) associated with the presence of impacted mandibular third molars (IMTMs). Secondary objectives were to determine how IMTM position and level of impaction influence the occurrence of distal caries. MATERIALS AND
methodsPRISMA guidelines were followed. An automated search was conducted as well as a manual search for relevant clinical articles. The review included studies reporting IMTM and adjacent MSM presenting distal caries published in the last ten years. The quality of evidence was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale.
resultsThirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and underwent analysis; they included a total of 13,788 patients. The overall prevalence of caries in MSMs adjacent to IMTMs was 29.89% (CI 95%: 21.05 - 38.74%; p < 0.001). Following Winter's classification, the mesioangular position was the most frequently associated with caries with 43.37% (CI 95%: 33.03 - 53.70%; p < 0.001). Following Pell & Gregory classification, position A was the most frequently associated with caries with 33.97% (CI 95%: 24.06 - 43.89%; p < 0.001).
conclusionsIMTMs in mesioangulated positions, especially if accompanied by level A impaction, present the highest risk of MSM distal caries. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Knowing which positions and level of IMTMs are most frequently associated with distal caries in MSMs is crucial to implementing preventive measures. REVIEW REGISTRATION: This systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). Reg. number: CRD42023393143.
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Registered trials
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