The Incidence of Accessory Roots in Third Molar Teeth: A Clinical Observational Study

<i>Purpose</i>: The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of accessory roots in third molar teeth. <i>Methods: </i>This study evaluates the incidence of accessory roots present on maxillary and mandibular third molars in 4,904 teeth from a total pool of 1,492 patients, both male and female, ranging in age from fifteen to ninety-six years. The number of teeth containing an accessory root was recorded and correlations have been made comparing right to left third molars as well as maxillary to mandibular. The results were analyzed using a chi-squared test. <i>Results</i>: A total of 316 third molars were identified as having one or more accessory roots, representing an incidence of 6.43%. Of the 1,492 patients undergoing extraction of one or more third molar teeth, 239 (16%) of these patients had a tooth extracted that demonstrated evidence of accessory root formation. <i>Conclusion: </i>The high incidence of third molar teeth with one or more accessory roots provides evidence that may suggest an explanation for unexpected difficulty during a third molar extraction, and draws attention to the importance of thorough clinical and radiographic evaluation preoperatively, as well as to the need for effective risk management in third molar evaluation and treatment.