Long Term Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

An interesting article appears in the journal PLOS ONE looking at the consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI) using rate models. The researchers used rat models and found that overtime TBI results in progressive brain deterioration characterized by elevated inflammation and suppressed cell regeneration. Long-term neurological deficits from TBI related to inflammation may cause more severe secondary injuries and even predispose people to neurodegenerative diseases later in life. Traumatic brain injuries are important to study since troops in the U.S. military have increasingly suffered TBI from improvised explosive devices. One of the coauthors from the journal article (Dr. Paul R. Sanberg) says “Progressive injury to hippocampal, cortical and thalamic regions contributes to long-term cognitive damage post-TBI. Both military and civilian patients have shown functional and cognitive deficits resulting from TBI.” In the study researchers looked at different parts of the … Read more

Multi-Million Dollar Award In New York for Wisdom Tooth Extraction

A 49 year old man had issues with a wisdom tooth. He went to several different times and had him attempt to remove it. He was sent home believing the extraction had been performed. However, the dentist had stopped the extraction after learning that the tooth was fused to the bone. Several hours after returning home, the man was rushed to the emergency room and was diagnosed with air emphysema and residuals roots by an oral surgeon. The oral surgeon than extracted the remaining portions of the wisdom tooth. Both the oral surgeon and dentist were found liable for the man’s injuries as neither obtained informed consent for the procedures they performed. The man has been unable to return to work as a hydro-geologist, and remains totally disabled as a result of his constant pain. He suffered extensive oral nerve … Read more

Avoiding Nerve Injuries with Lower Wisdom Teeth

A study (in press) appears in the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (2012) titled “Early extraction: a silver bullet to avoid nerve injury in lower third molar removal?” by Q. B. Zhang and Z. Q. Zhang. At the beginning of the article the authors discuss how lower third molars show the highest incidence of impaction and are responsible for pathology such as pericoronitis, periodontitis, pain, cysts, tumors, and second molar-tooth crown resorption. I have discussed the risks of keeping wisdom teeth in over here http://www.teethremoval.com/risks_of_keeping_wisdom_teeth.html The authors also discuss the complications associated with removal of third molars which I have elaborated on in great detail here http://www.teethremoval.com/complications.html. In this study two groups of patients from China were grouped: A) those less than 23 and with immature teeth, and B) those greater than 23 and with mature teeth. Group … Read more