Pericoronitis - Classification

Classification

The International Classification of Diseases lists pericoronitis under "diseases of the digestive system" since the mouth is the first part of the gastrointestinal tract, and then under "diseases of oral cavity, salivary glands and jaws". There is a separate entry for acute and chronic forms. The definition of pericoronitis is inflammation in the soft tissues surrounding the crown of a tooth. This general definition encompasses a wide spectrum of possible degrees of severity. When used unqualified, the term usually refers to an acute inflammation of the soft tissues surrounding the crown of an impacted or partially erupted third molar tooth. However, pericoronitis may affect the soft tissues surrounding the crown of any tooth, although this is less common than involvement of the lower third molar, which is a commonly impacted tooth. Transient inflammation of the soft tissues occurs immediately preceding eruption of the deciduous teeth (baby or milk teeth) in children, and this is commonly termed "teething" in infants. Acute (i.e. sudden onset and short lived, but significant, symptoms) pericoronitis is defined by some sources as "varying degrees of inflammatory involvement of the pericoronal flap and adjacent structures, as well as by systemic complications." Systemic complications refers to signs and symptoms occuring outside of the mouth, such as fever, malaise or swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Pericoronitis may also be chronic or recurrent, with repeated episodes of acute pericoronitis occurring periodically. The operculum is the flap of soft tissue that may cover an erupting or partially erupted molar, also called a pericoronal flap, or gingival flap. Operculitis is inflammation of the operculum alone, although it is often listed as a synonym of pericoronitis. The definition of pericoronitis also makes no distinction as to whether the inflammation is minor and localized to the tissues immediately surrounding the crown of a tooth, or extends into adjacent areas. Also, the inflammation may or may not be associated active infection, i.e. invasion of the soft tissues by micro-organisms, which can also be termed pericoronal infection. A feature of pericoronal infection may be the formation of a pericoronal abscess, where pus forms, or a cellulitis, both of which can spread into other regions.