Histopathologic Changes in Dental Follicles: Are They Serious?

Pathologic changes within pericoronal tissues of impacted third molars are not uncommon. Retained impacted teeth within the bone may be associated with pathologic changes in pericoronal tissues due to unknown mechanisms. Thus, when an impacted third molar is removed its pericoronal tissue must be assessed for pathologic changes microscopically. Although most of these pathologic changes are benign, however, as these changes are asymptomatic in nature differential diagnosis of a normal follicle from an abnormal one both radiographically and microscopically is important because this is difficult if not impossible to do clinically.