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Thank you for your participation. This audit is now closed.
Communication was sent out on 25 April 2018.
If you have any queries please contact enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk or nforcaudits@nhs.net.
The surgical treatment of the third molar is one of the priority areas identified by The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) for a national audit. Wisdom teeth may erupt normally into correct dental alignment and function. Sometimes they develop in non-functional or minimally functional positions. Impaction occurs when there is prevention of complete eruption due to lack of space, obstruction or development in an abnormal position. This may result in a tooth erupting partially or not at all. Impaction may be associated with pathological changes including infection in the overlying tissues, an increased risk of caries and periodontal disease in adjacent teeth, and cyst formation. Current best practice according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines recommends the removal of impacted third molars which have caused these pathological changes.