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J Am Dent Assoc, Vol 135, No 10, 1397-1405. © 2004 American Dental Association

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Background. Third molars are teeth with questionable value. People who never develop third molars avoid confronting the disease and pain these teeth often cause. Since third molars do not begin to develop until children are approximately five years of age, a window of opportunity exists to therapeutically prevent this tooth’s development. The dentition of neonate rats possess developmental stages of molars similar to that of five-year-old children. This pilot study tests the hypothesis that third molars can be selectively prevented from developing.

Methods. Thirty-three neonate rats received a momentary pulse of electrosurgical energy to one of their maxillary tuberosities. The tuberosities on the contralateral sides received no treatment. Intraoral and radiographic examinations of sacrificed animals occurred when they were between 47 and 52 days old. Several tuberosity areas from sacrificed animals underwent histologic examination.

Results. Ten rats showed no intraoral or radiographic evidence of third molar development, and six developed smaller-than-normal third molars. Development of the maxilla also was affected frequently. One treated tuberosity area that was missing a third molar showed no histologic evidence of tooth-forming tissues, cyst formation or other significant abnormal tissue changes.

Conclusions. Maxillary third molars can be selectively prevented from developing in rat pups at or near the time of tooth bud initiation; however, electrosurgical energy is too powerful and uncontrollable to reliably confine its damage to only the tooth-forming tissues.

Clinical Implications. Third molars may be able to be selectively prevented from developing in growing children near the time of tooth bud initiation if less-differentiated precursor tooth-forming tissues can be selectively targeted.

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