TITLE:
A Case Report of Kissing Molars Class III
AUTHORS:
Keiko Kaneko, Keiichi Uchida, Toshiyuki Inou, Hideyuki Nezu, Hiroshi Mori, Hiroyuki Kitamura, Tatsuo Takaya, Yukiko Yoko, Norimasa Okafuji
KEYWORDS:
Kissing Molars, Mandibular Fourth Molar, Cone-Beam Computed Tomography, Molar Impaction
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Stomatology,
Vol.12 No.10,
October
21,
2022
ABSTRACT: Kissing molars (KMs), first reported by Van Hoof in 1973, refer to molars with occlusal surfaces that contact each other in a single follicular space while their roots extend in opposite directions. This is a case of a 20-year-old male who presented with complaints of right mandibular molar pain with cold water contact and occlusion. Panoramic and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images revealed impaction of the right mandibular third and fourth molars, with the occlusal surfaces contacting each other while the roots extended in opposite directions. KMs are classified according to the impaction of the mandibular first and second molars (Class I), second and third molars (Class II), and third and fourth molars (Class III). Our patient was considered Class III. Given the patient’s preference for surgical treatment, successful teeth extraction and extirpation were performed under intravenous sedation. The patient’s postoperative course was unremarkable. We describe a case of KMs Class III with a cystic variant assessed by panoramic and CBCT images. We additionally review all KMs Class III reported in the literature.