Orthodontic treatment and third molars development: longitudinal study on radiographs
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of first premolar extraction on third molar angulation during fixed orthodontic treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sample of this study included pre-treatment and post-treatment orthopantomographs (OPG) of 40 patients, 17 males and 23 women (106 third molars), treated by fixed orthodontic appliances at the Department of Orthodontics, Sapienza University, Rome. All individuals had both first and second mandibular molars present at all stages and initial malocclusion.