The impact of retained third molars on the deployed airman

Dental emergencies can significantly affect the mission of the deployed unit. As many as 22% of all emergency department visits at a deployed Expeditionary Medical Support facility can be attributed to dental problems and many of these problems are caused by impacted third molar teeth. Currently, there is no reliable method of predicting when asymptomatic, partially erupted third molar teeth will become painful. Therefore, it is imperative that Air Force dental providers carefully consider the consequences of giving patients a clean bill of health when asymptomatic, partially erupted third molar teeth are present in the oral cavity. Recommendations for future study are presented.