Prevalence of Enamel Markings on Third Molars.

The purpose of this study was to measure the prevalence of enamel markings in routinely extracted third molars. One hundred donated third molars were examined. All had some marking(s). Caries was almost universal; white snowcapping of cusps and ridges was extremely common; pit and valley defects were very common; spots and bands were very common, most were white; horizontal grooves were common; linear enamel hypoplasia, considered to be a true developmental defect, was rare.