The Influence of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Among Young Adults
Abstract
Impacted mandibular third molars are a common eruption problem among young adults and are often related to limited jaw space. In addition to causing local problems, impaction may affect oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). This study aimed to examine the relationship between impacted mandibular third molars and OHRQoL among young adults. An observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design was conducted among 184 young adults. Participants were grouped according to the presence or absence of mandibular third molar impaction. OHRQoL was measured using the standardized Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Data distribution was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, followed by the Mann-Whitney U test to compare OHIP-14 scores between groups. OHIP-14 scores were not normally distributed (p < 0.001). The non-impacted group had a mean score of 6.71 (SD 5.02), while the impacted group had a higher mean score of 30.37 (SD 4.79). The Mann-Whitney U test showed a significant difference between groups (U = 6615.0; p < 0.001). The mean rank was higher in the impacted group (117.00) than in the non-impacted group (25.00). Young adults with impacted mandibular third molars had significantly poorer OHRQoL than those without impaction.
References
Alfadil, L., & Almajed, E. (2020). Prevalence of impacted third molars and the reason for extraction in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Dental Journal, 32(5), 262–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sdentj.2020.01.002
Amran, A. J., Lestari, N., Ilmianti, I., Bachtiar, R., & Ahmad, N. K. (2024). Evaluasi kualitas hidup pasien perikoronitis akut akibat gigi impaksi molar ketiga mandibula pasca odontektomi. Sinnun Maxillofacial Journal, 6(2), 101–108. https://doi.org/10.33096/smj.v6i02.149
Apessos, I., Lillis, T., Voulgaris, A., Archontogeorgis, K., Steiropoulos, P., & Dabarakis, N. (2024). Effect of third molar surgery on sleep health parameters of young adults: An observational study. Medicina, 60(6), 858. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60060858
Bado, F. M. R., De Checchi, M. H. R., Cortellazzi, K. L., Ju, X., Jamieson, L., & Mialhe, F. L. (2020). Oral health literacy, self-rated oral health, and oral health-related quality of life in Brazilian adults. European Journal of Oral Sciences, 128(3), 218–225. https://doi.org/10.1111/eos.12695
Bhut, M. K. (2022). Prevalence of impacted tooth: A radiographic study of 750 cases. European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine, 9(9), 230–232.
Braimah, R. O., Ali-Alsuliman, D., Al-Sagoor, S. T., Al-Walah, A. S., Al-Makrami, R., Taiwo, A. O., & Ibikunle, A. A. (2021). Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) following surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars: Preliminary observations in a Saudi Arabian subpopulation. Journal of West African College of Surgeons, 11(4), 7–12. https://doi.org/10.4103/jwas.jwas_12_22
Braimah, R. O., Ndukwe, K. C., Owotade, J. F., & Aregbesola, S. B. (2017). Impact of oral antibiotics on health-related quality of life after mandibular third molar surgery: An observational study. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, 20(9), 1189–1194. https://doi.org/10.4103/1119-3077.183235
Bukhari, O. M., Alhassani, S. L., Alkhudhayri, S. L., Alharbi, M. R., Alahmadi, R. J., Alharbi, O. A., Balkhoyor, A. M., & Marghalani, A. A. (2025). The influence of impacted mandibular third molar in health-related quality of life. The Open Dentistry Journal, 19, e18742106375371. https://doi.org/10.2174/0118742106375371250409111547
Carter, K., & Worthington, S. (2016). Predictors of third molar impaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Dental Research, 95(3), 267–276. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034515615857
Chen, Y., Zheng, J., Li, D., Huang, Z., Huang, Z., Wang, X., Zhang, X., & Hu, X. (2020). Three-dimensional position of mandibular third molars and its association with distal caries in mandibular second molars: A cone beam computed tomographic study. Clinical Oral Investigations, 24(9), 3265–3273. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-020-03203-w
Duarte-Rodrigues, L., Miranda, E. F. P., Souza, T. O., Paiva, H. N., Falci, S. G. M., & Galvão, E. L. (2018). Third molar removal and its impact on quality of life: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Quality of Life Research, 27(10), 2477–2489. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-018-1889-1
Ghaeminia, H., Perry, J., Nienhuijs, M. E. L., Toedtling, V., Tummers, M., Hoppenreijs, T. J. M., Van der Sanden, W. J. M., & Mettes, T. G. (2016). Surgical removal versus retention for the management of asymptomatic disease-free impacted wisdom teeth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 8, CD003879. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003879.pub4
Gojayeva, G., Tekin, G., Saruhan Kose, N., Dereci, O., Kosar, Y. C., & Caliskan, G. (2024). Evaluation of complications and quality of life of patient after surgical extraction of mandibular impacted third molar teeth. BMC Oral Health, 24(1), 131. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-024-03877-8
Hupp, J. R., Tucker, M. R., & Ellis, E. (2019). Contemporary oral and maxillofacial surgery (7th ed.). Elsevier.
Ibikunle, A. A., Adeyemo, W. L., & Ladeinde, A. L. (2016). Oral health-related quality of life following third molar surgery with either oral administration or submucosal injection of prednisolone. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 20(4), 343–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10006-016-0571-4
John, M. T. (2021). Foundations of oral health-related quality of life. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 48(3), 355–359. https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.13040
Kautto, A., Vehkalahti, M. M., & Ventä, I. (2018). Age of patient at the extraction of the third molar. International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 47(7), 947–951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijom.2018.03.020
Kusparmanto, L., & Yuditha, S. (2023). Effectiveness of using video compared to other media for dental and oral health education. Moestopo International Review on Social, Humanities, and Sciences (MIRSHuS), 3(1), 36–43. https://doi.org/10.32509/mirshus.v3i1.48
Kwon, S. R., Lee, S., Oyoyo, U., Wiafe, S., De Guia, S., Pedersen, C., Martinez, K., Rivas, J., Chavez, D., & Rogers, T. (2021). Oral health knowledge and oral health related quality of life of older adults. Clinical and Experimental Dental Research, 7(2), 211–218. https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.350
Muhamad, A. H., Nezar, W., & Azzaldeen, A. (2016). Prevalence of impacted mandibular third molars in population of Arab Israeli: a retrospective study. IOSR J Dent Med Sci, 15(1), 80–89.
Oghli, I., List, T., John, M. T., Häggman-Henrikson, B., & Schierz, O. (2020). The impact of oro-facial pain conditions on oral health-related quality of life: A systematic review. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.12994
Passarelli, P. C., Lopez, M. A., De Santis, V., Piccirillo, G. B., Rella, E., Giovannini, V., Speranza, A., De Leonardis, M., Manicone, P. F., Casale, M., & D’Addona, A. (2020). Quality of life of patients with mandibular third molars and mild pericoronitis. A Comparison between Two Different Treatments: Extraction or Periodontal Approach. Antibiotics, 9(5), 222. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9050222
Pinto, A. C., Francisco, H., Marques, D., Martins, J. N. R., & Caramês, J. (2024). Worldwide prevalence and demographic predictors of impacted third molars—Systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(24). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13247533
Rampes, S., Ma, K., Divecha, Y. A., Alam, A., & Ma, D. (2020). Postoperative sleep disorders and their potential impacts on surgical outcomes. Journal of Biomedical Research, 34(4), 271–280. https://doi.org/10.7555/JBR.33.20190054
Riva, F., Seoane, M., Reichenheim, M. E., Tsakos, G., & Celeste, R. K. (2022). Adult oral health-related quality of life instruments: A systematic review. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 50(5), 333–338. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12689
Septina, F., Atika Apriliani, W., & Baga, I. (2021). Prevalensi impaksi molar ke tiga rahang bawah di Rumah Sakit Pendidikan Universitas Brawijaya tahun 2018. E-Prodenta Journal of Dentistry, 5(2), 450–460. https://doi.org/10.21776/ub.eprodenta.2021.005.02.1
Silveira, M. F., Pinho, L. de, & Brito, M. F. S. F. (2019). Validity and reliability of the oral health impact profile instrument (OHIP-14) in adolescents. Paidéia (Ribeirão Preto), 29, e2921. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-4327e2921
Sologova, D., Diachkova, E., Gor, I., Sologova, S., Grigorevskikh, E., Arazashvili, L., Petruk, P., & Tarasenko, S. (2022). Antibiotics efficiency in the infection complications prevention after third molar extraction: A systematic review. Dentistry Journal, 10(4), 72. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj10040072
Spanemberg, J. C., Cardoso, J. A., Slob, E. M. G. B., & López-López, J. (2019). Quality of life related to oral health and its impact in adults. Journal of Stomatology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 120(3), 234-239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jormas.2019.02.004
Utama, M. D., Abdi, M. J., & Makmur, Z. Z. (2024). Hubungan klasifikasi impaksi molar ketiga mandibula dengan jarak kanal mandibular pada radiografi panoramik di Klinik Medical Center. IJOH: Indonesian Journal of Public Health, 2(2), 286–294. https://jurnal.academiacenter.org/index.php/IJOH/article/download/344/365/726
Varghese, G. (2021). Management of impacted third molars. In Oral and maxillofacial surgery for the clinician (pp. 299-328). Springer Nature Singapore.
Ventä, I., Huumonen, S., & Suominen, A. L. (2020). How many third molars remain unnoticed in a population survey without panoramic radiographs? Clinical Oral Investigations, 24(8), 2727–2733. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-019-03134-1
Zulva, S. N. A., Nasia, A. A., Pramudo, S. G., & Purwoko, Y. (2022). Differences in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among the elderly population in Rembang Regency. Majalah Kedokteran Gigi Indonesia, 8(1), 31–40. https://doi.org/10.22146/majkedgiind.64148
Copyright (c) 2026 Komang Krisna Dewi, Solva Yuditha, Farhany Sefina Kusparmanto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright and full publishing rights of their articles without restrictions. Authors grant Moestopo International Review on Social, Humanities, and Sciences (MIRSHuS) the non-exclusive right of first publication.
