Movement in Maxillary Third Molar Resulting in Open Proximal Contact Between First & Second Molar: A Case report

Abstract

Proximal contact area is the part of the tooth which touches the adjacent tooth in the same arch. Untreated open proximal contact between posterior teeth is very cumbersome for the patient as it allows food stagnation between teeth leading to caries and crestal bone loss. Dental caries and periodontal disease are the common cause of open contacts between posterior teeth. This report demonstrates an unusual cause of bilateral open proximal contacts i.e. movement in the maxillary third molars. Third molars sometimes exert unwanted force at the radicular part of the adjacent second molars which result in an orthodontic tipping movement of the second molar in the distal direction. This leads to creation of an open contact distal to the first molar. The present case was managed with the extraction of the third molars followed by direct amalgam restorations in the first and second molars. At one-year follow up, the patient remained asymptomatic.