Distal cervical caries in the mandibular second molar: an indication for the prophylactic removal of the third molar?

AIMS: Distal cervical caries (DCC) in mandibular second molar teeth are responsible for the removal of up to 5% of all mandibular third molars. Our aim was to identify the clinical features of these patients.

METHODS

We evaluated the records of 100 patients who had 122 mandibular third molars removed because of distal cervical caries in the second molar.

RESULTS

Eighty-two percent of third molars had a mesial angulation of between 40 degrees and 80 degrees. The peak age for removal of third molars was 5 years later than in other studies and patients had better dental health than average. The incidence of distal cervical caries DCC has been shown to increase with age.

CONCLUSION

Distal cervical caries is a late phenomenon and has been reported only in association with impacted third molars. The early or prophylactic removal of a partially erupted mesio-angular third molar could prevent distal cervical caries forming in the mandibular second molar.