Study of kissing molars in Turkish population sample.

BACKGROUND: "Kissing" or "rosetting" of molars are extremely rare phenomenon with limited cases in the dental literature. It was first described in 1973, refers to contacting occlusal surfaces of the impacted mandibular second and third molars. The aim of the present study was to report the incidence of kissing molars (KMs), classification, incorporated pathologies, and its management in a group of Turkish population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The panoramic radiographs of the patients who referred to Gaziantep University Faculty of Dentistry between January 2012 and November 2014 for surgical treatment retrospectively were evaluated. The cases of KM were determined and evaluated with respect to its type, combined pathology, and treatment.

RESULTS: Of the 6570 radiographs included in the study, 4 were seen to present as KM illustrating 0.060% of the sample. Three cases were Class II (0.045%), and only one case was encountered as Class III (0.015%). The mean age at the time that the KM teeth were identified was 34 years with a range from 29 to 40 years. Three of the patients were male, one of the patients was female, and all cases were seen unilaterally. One of the KMs was associated with dentigerous cyst formation.

CONCLUSION: KM is a very rare clinical condition and few treatment options described. Early detection is essential to preclude complications and to provide more successful treatment. In this study, we evaluated the cases of KM and review of the literature also presented.