§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have had impacted third molars removed in each year since 1997; and how many showed signs of pathology in their teeth. [127093]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe number of children who have had impacted third molars removed in England in 1997–98 to 2002–03 is shown in the table. Children are 269W defined as being under 18 years of age. Records of the pathology of the teeth prior to extraction are recorded as part of the patient's clinical notes, but are not collected centrally. Nevertheless, the table provides encouraging evidence of progress on implementation of the recommendations that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) made in 2000 that the routine prophylactic removal of pathology-free wisdom teeth should be replaced by standard routine follow-up.
General, Personal and Hospital Dental Service: Number of children who have had impacted third molars removed in 1997–98 to 2002–03, England Total General Dental
Service
1Personal Dental
Service
1Hospital Dental
Services
21997–98 33,700 32,100 0 1,544 1998–99 3,562 1,861 10 1,691 1999–2000 2,685 1,356 9 1,320 2000–01 1,842 891 6 945 2001–02 1,516 724 5 787 2002–03 n/a 684 5 n/a n/a = data not available.
1 Based on dental treatment claims for payment.
2 Number of admissions for surgical removal of impacted third molar based on finished consultant episodes. Patients may have more than one admission within a year.
3 Estimated using figures for number of teeth extracted in the general dental service.
Sources:
1 Dental Practice Board.
2 Hospital Episode Statistics.