Trends in Impacted Teeth among Patients at the Dental Center of Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

Background: An impacted tooth is a tooth that fails to erupt to the normal anatomic level in the oral cavity within the expected time. There are local as well as systemic causes of teeth impaction. Impacted teeth have the possibility of impinging nearby vital structures as well as predisposing patients to pain and discomfort. Impaction of teeth can be partial or complete, soft tissue or bony. This study aimed to determine patterns of impacted teeth among patients presented to the Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery department of Addis Ababa University. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study with retrospective data collection was done from January 2019 to December 2021. Results: A total of 184 patients (Female n=112, Male n=72) were included in the study. The mean age was 26.5 and the age range was 10-84 years. The study result revealed that the occurrence of teeth impaction was more common in females (60.86%) than males (39.4%). The mandibular third molar was the most commonly impacted tooth, comprising 152(82.61%) of all impacted teeth. Among the third molar impaction, 77 (50.65%) of the third molar impaction was mesioangular in position. The left mandibular third molar was the most impacted tooth in both males and females 78(42.39%). Among the patients with impacted canine in the majority (52.63%) of cases it was placed palatally. About 75% of patients with impacted third molar presented with caries lesions, toothache, and discomfort as primary indications for removal. Disimpaction by raising a flap was the mainstay of treatment and was done for 90% of the patients. Conclusion: The most common type of impaction observed was third molar impaction, accounting for 82.61% of cases followed by maxillary canine impaction. Many patients sought treatments only after experiencing signs and symptoms related to their impacted teeth. It is crucial to raise awareness about early detection and management of impacted teeth to reduce the complexity of surgical procedures and minimize potential complications.