LAUSR

Aims and Objectives: Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) clicking has been considered as the most important clinical features of many TMJ disorders, so that the early diagnosis of TMJ clicking could be considered an important value for early treatment. The knowledge and study of the factors that have an adverse effect on the TMJ are necessary for the proper diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of TMJ disorders. This aim of this study was to observe whether there was a relationship between the presence of impacted third molars and the development of TMJ clicking. Materials and Methods: The study was undertaken on 189 patients with bilateral maxillary and mandibular impacted third molars aged between 18 and 25 years, in regardless of genders that were referred to the radiology department of some dental centers in Baghdad for taking orthopantomograms (OPGs) from June 2017 to December 2018. The patients were examined clinically for detecting the temporomandibular clicking by using a stethoscope for hearing clicking sounds during mouth opening and mandibular excursion. Results: The statistical analysis showed that there was no significant relationship between the presence of impacted third molars and development of TMJ clicking (χ2 = 1.04; P = 0.3). Conclusion: According to this study, impacted third molars were not considered to be an effective factor in the occurrence or development of TMJ clicking or sound.