Lower third molar development in relation to skeletal maturity and chronological age.

The development of lower third molar anlage was investigated longitudinally and related to chronological age and to skeletal maturation stage as judged by the mineralization of epiphyses in the hand. Strong correlations were found between lower third molar development and both skeletal maturation and chronological age. These results indicate that lower third molar development on the whole seems to be correlated with skeletal maturation. One or two lower third molars were found to be missing in 11% of the subjects.