Introduction: although a non-erupted third molar represents a risk of cystic formation; clinical practice rejects the histopathological analysis of the follicles of said molars. Objective: identify the frequency of the histopathological changes in pericoronary sacs of mandibular third molars. Material and methods: descriptive crosssectional, observational and analytic study, where pericoronary sacs of mandibular third molars were included for histopathological analysis, description of clinical-radiographic characteristics and their association with the presence of histological changes or cystic lesions. Results: 48 samples of pericoronary sacs were included, the histopathology of the pericoronary sacs showed 83.3% had some type of alteration: 13 paradental cysts (27.1%), four dentigerous cysts (8.3%), 12 hyperplastic follicles (25.0%) and 11 inflamed follicles (22.9%). The presence of cystic lesions in the population was 35.4%. A statistically significant association was detected between sex and the presence of cystic lesions (p = 0.039); and between the level of eruption and the presence of histological changes (p = 0.046). Conclusions: the frequency of cystic lesions or histological changes in mandibular third molar follicles is high, mainly in partially erupted or submucosal molars and regardless of the absence of symptoms or radiographic alterations.
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