A Guideline for the Extraction

of First Permanent Molars in

Children
An Update of the 2009 Guidelines written by MT Cobourne, A Williams and R McMullen

Martyn T. Cobourne
Professor of Orthodontics
Department of Orthodontics and Craniofacial Development
King's Dental Institute
King's College London
Floor 22, Tower Wing
London SE1 9RT

Alison Williams
Specialist in Orthodontics
SP Orthodontics Ltd
2a Barham Road
London SW20 0EU

Mike Harrison
Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry
Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital
Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7EH
A Guideline for the Extraction of First Permanent Molars in Children

Contents
Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Development of the first permanent molar ..................................................................................................................... 1
First permanent molars of poor prognosis ....................................................................................................................... 1
Balancing and compensating extractions ..................................................................................................... 1
Treatment planning goals ............................................................................................................................. 2
Ideal timing of first permanent molar extraction ............................................................................................................ 3
Guidelines for elective first permanent molar extraction ............................................................................................. 3
Class I cases .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
Class I cases with minimal crowding ............................................................................................................ 3
Class I cases with moderate crowding ......................................................................................................... 3
Class II cases ............................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Class II cases with minimal crowding ........................................................................................................... 4
Class II case with crowding. ......................................................................................................................... 4
Class III cases............................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Levels of Evidence ................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Grades of Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................... 6
References ................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

i
A Guideline for the Extraction of First Permanent Molars in Children

Introduction

First permanent molars of poor prognosis

Balancing and compensating extractions

Development of the first permanent molar

1
A Guideline for the Extraction of First Permanent Molars in Children

Treatment planning goals

2
A Guideline for the Extraction of First Permanent Molars in Children

Ideal timing of first permanent molar extraction

Guidelines for elective first permanent molar

extraction

Class I cases
Class I cases with minimal crowding





Class I cases with moderate crowding

3
A Guideline for the Extraction of First Permanent Molars in Children

Class II cases 

Class II cases with minimal crowding

Class II case with crowding.

4
A Guideline for the Extraction of First Permanent Molars in Children

Class III cases

5
A Guideline for the Extraction of First Permanent Molars in Children

Levels of Evidence
1++ High quality meta-analyses, systematic reviews of RCTs, or RCTs with a
very low risk of bias
1+ Well-conducted meta-analyses, systematic reviews, or RCTs with a low
risk of bias
1- Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, or RCTs with a high risk of bias
2++ High quality systematic reviews of case control or cohort or studies
 High
quality case control or cohort studies with a very low risk of confounding or
bias and a high probability that the relationship is causal
2+ Well-conducted case control or cohort studies with a low risk of
confounding or bias and a moderate probability that the relationship is
causal
2- Case control or cohort studies with a high risk of confounding or bias and a
significant risk that the relationship is not causal
3 Non-analytic studies, e.g. case reports, case series
4 Expert opinion

Grades of Recommendations
A At least one meta-analysis, systematic review, or RCT rated as 1++, and
directly applicable to the target population; or
A body of evidence consisting principally of studies rated as 1+, directly
applicable to the target population, and demonstrating overall consistency
of results
B A body of evidence including studies rated as 2++, directly applicable to the
target population, and demonstrating overall consistency of results; or
Extrapolated evidence from studies rated as 1++ or 1+
C A body of evidence including studies rated as 2+, directly applicable to the
target population and demonstrating overall consistency of results; or
Extrapolated evidence from studies rated as 2++
D Evidence level 3 or 4; or
Extrapolated evidence from studies rated as 2+

6
A Guideline for the Extraction of First Permanent Molars in Children

References
A Guideline for the Extraction of First Permanent Molars in Children