Prevalence of impacted third molar during covid-19 pandemic at Hasanuddin University Dental Hospital

Prevalensi impaksi molar ketiga di masa pandemi Covid-19 di RSGMP Universitas Hasanuddin

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has limited oral health care to emergency measures only, including pain due to third molar impaction. This study evaluated the prevalence of third molar impaction at the Hasanuddin University Teaching Dental and Oral Hospital during the pandemic in 2020. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on patients aged 17 years and above who came to Dental Hospital of Unhas in 2020 and underwent radiographic examination, and were classified as impacted and non-impacted groups. Data were analysed and tested by chi square to assess the relationship between third molar impaction with gen-der and age with a significance level of p<0.05. 2,392 data were obtained, of which 60.1% were female. The number of sam-ples with third molar impaction was 30.4% and the highest age group was 21-30 years old (35.6%). There was no significant dif-ference between third molar impaction and gender, but there was a significant difference between the impaction and age. The incidence of impaction decreased with age. It was concluded that the prevalence of third molar impaction requiring treatment during the Covid-19 pandemic at Dental Hospital of Unhas in 2020 was 30.4% which was dominated by female patients aged 21-30 years.