Tag Archives: Wisdom Teeth

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) Contact Information and Request

Posted on 14. Jan, 2010 by wisdom.

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I encourage you to submit emails, phone calls, and /or letters to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS).

Here is an convenient email list containing emails of the current AAOMS officers and trustees in which you can your message to

iradc@aol.com, drljmoore@aol.com, ajeeone@aol.com, eslade@comcast.net, rlynnwhite@austin.rr.com, brinaldi@aaoms.org, snelson@rmoms.com, lawrencebusino@gmail.com, lkrafetto@gmail.com, etgoms@comcast.net, wnelson@baycare.net, mapavelka@msn.com, windellh@gmail.com, ejohnson@aaoms.org

Here is the message I recently sent to them.

By promoting the idea of removing healthy impacted wisdom teeth the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are not living up to their mission statement, are being unethical, irresponsible, and contributing to the public health hazard that is facing many Americans.

Each year thousands of Americans are left with permanent disability as a result of elective oral surgery to remove their wisdom teeth. This practice is not justified by any scientific evidence and is a tragedy that is continuing in America.

The British National Institute for Clinical Excellence has recommended that:

  • Impacted wisdom teeth that are free from disease (healthy) should not be operated on. There are two reasons for this:
    • There is no reliable research to suggest that this practice benefits patients
    • Patients who do have healthy wisdom teeth removed are being exposed to the risks of surgery. These can include, nerve damage, damage to other teeth, infection, bleeding, and, rarely, death. Also, after surgery to remove wisdom teeth, patients may have swelling, pain and be unable to open their mouth fully.
  • Patients who have impacted wisdom teeth that are not causing problems should visit their dentist for their usual check-ups.
  • Only patients who have diseased wisdom teeth, or other problems with their mouth, should have their wisdom teeth removed. Your dentist or oral surgeon will be aware of the sort of disease or condition which would require you to have surgery. Examples include untreatable tooth decay, abscesses, cysts or tumours, disease of the tissues around the tooth or where the tooth is in the way of other surgery.

The American Public Health Association

1. Recommends that public education about the removal of third molars (wisdom teeth), like the removal of any teeth, should be based on evidence of diagnosed pathology or demonstrable need;

2. Opposes prophylactic removal of third molars, which subjects individuals and society to unnecessary costs, avoidable morbidity, and the risks of permanent injury;

3. Recommends that the Agency for Healthcare Research Quality and the National Institutes of Health, agencies of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and other independent researchers call for convening an expert panel that considers evidence-based research on the effectiveness and appropriateness of prophylactic removal of third molars and generates a consensus statement;

4. Recommends that oral health researchers and funding agencies include in their research agendas support for the application of evidence-based dental practice, to include issues such as the prophylactic extraction of third molars and how to most effectively translate evidence-based science into the practice of dentistry;

5. Urges all public health agencies and dental professional organizations to disseminate information explaining why prophylactic removal of third molars is not recommended, in keeping with their dedication to improving the health literacy of the public and its consequent ability to make informed health care decisions.

Each year thousands of Americans are left with permanent disability as a result of elective oral surgery to remove their wisdom teeth. This practice is not justified by any scientific evidence and is a tragedy that is continuing in America.

I encourage you to review http://www.teethremoval.com/complications.html to learn about the numerous complications patients experience with removing wisdom teeth. In addition I encourage you to read my story http://www.teethremoval.com/ and numerous stories shared by others http://www.teethremoval.com/yourstory.html

I am hopeful you will make the appropriate recommendations regarding third molar extraction in the United States using evidence based medicine and follow in the footsteps of those organizations already to have done so.

Below you will find the full information of the 2009-2010 officers of treasures of AAOMS including email, phone, and address. Use as you see appropriate.

Ira D. Cheifetz, DMD, President
609/587-2900 Fax: 609/587-1749
E-Mail: iradc@aol.com
2303 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road, Suite 5
Mercerville, New Jersey 08619-1994
Larry J. Moore, DDS, MS, President-elect
909/606-0160 Fax: 909/606-4061
E-mail: drljmoore@aol.com
4200 Chino Hills Pkwy, Suite 805
Chino Hills, California 91709
Arthur C. Jee, DMD, Vice President
301/498-3900 Fax: 301/317-4758
E-mail: ajeeone@aol.com
13934 Baltimore Ave
Laurel, Maryland 20707
Edwin W. Slade Jr., DMD, JD, Treasurer
215/345-7373 Fax: 215/345-0242
E-mail: eslade@comcast.net
101 Progress Drive
Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901-2509
R. Lynn White, DDS, Immediate Past President
512/346-7949 Fax: 512/346-9427
E-mail: rlynnwhite@austin.rr.com
Austin OMS Associates
7800 Mopac Expressway, Suite 270
Austin, Texas 78959
Robert C. Rinaldi, PhD, CAE,
Executive Director and Secretary
847/678-6200 Fax: 847/678-4302
E-Mail: brinaldi@aaoms.org
9700 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue
Rosemont, Illinois 60018-5701
Steven R. Nelson, DDS, MS
Speaker, House of Delegates
303/758-6850 Fax: 303/758-0729
E-Mail: snelson@rmoms.com
6850 E. Hampden Ave., Suite 202
Denver, Colorado 80224
Lawrence J. Busino, DDS, District I
518/446-1001 Fax: 518/446-0802
E-mail: lawrencebusino@gmail.com
Albany OMS Group
2 Executive Park Drive
Albany, New York 12203
Louis K. Rafetto, DMD, District II
302/477-1800 Fax: 302/477-0343
E-mail: lkrafetto@gmail.com
3512 Siverside Road, Suite 12
Wilmington, Delaware 19810-4941
Eric T. Geist, DDS, District III
318/388-2621 Fax: 381/388-2835
E-mail: etgoms@comcast.net
Oral Surgery Associates
2003 Forsythe Avenue
Monroe, Louisiana 71201-4938
William J. Nelson, DDS, District IV
920/347-0400 Fax: 920/347-0868
E-mail: wnelson@baycare.net
Bay Care Clinic
2581 Development Drive
Green Bay, Wisconsin 54311-4247
Miro A. Pavelka, DDS, MSD, District V
972/231-6661 Fax: 972/231-3161
E-mail: mapavelka@msn.com
400 S. Cottonwood
Richardson, Texas 75080-5708
Henry C. Windell, DMD, District VI
503/665-7882 Fax: 503/665-6983
E-mail: windellh@gmail.com
24850 SE Stark Street, Ste 100
Gresham, Oregon 97030-8317

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IRA D. CHEIFETZ, D.M.D. – American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) President 2009-2010

Posted on 14. Jan, 2010 by wisdom.

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2009-2010 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) president Dr. Ira Cheifetz has said some disappointing and upsetting words in his recent inauguration speech on October 15, 2009  in Toronto, Canada.

We have known empirically for many years that untreated third molars are likely to cause problems. Now we have the evidence-based data to back us up. The Third Molar Clinical Trials, undertaken jointly by the AAOMS and the OMS Foundation, has shown a correlation between third molars, their associated biofilm, and systemic disease. Despite the reams of evidence reported by this ongoing study, the American Public Health Association recently released a policy statement that notes, “. . . the removal of ‘asymptomatic’ third molars is unnecessary and is a drain on the resources of the health care system”.

How do we respond to this challenge? Recognizing the effect this position could have on our fellows and members and the public’s health, the AAOMS took immediate steps to address this incorrect and potentially dangerous policy. The Third Molar Task Force was appointed to respond to the media and others who inquire about the APHA policy. Using the AAOMS White Paper on Third Molars and the evidence reported by the Third Molar Clinical Trials, we are able to supply solid information quickly to dispel misconceptions, innuendo, and stale, unreliable data. On other fronts, the AAOMS meets regularly with representatives of the insurance industry and third party payers to explain our position and present our research. Our science is unassailable and an easily withstand in-depth scrutiny from any individual or group willing to put aside a preconceived agenda and examine the facts. We have and will continue to make this information available to all communities of interest.

Clearly, Dr. Ira Cheifetz is taking issue with retired dentist Jay W. Friedman.

Firstly, I do not think there is any ‘preconceived agenda’ going on by those arguing for evidence-based dentistry and extraction of wisdom teeth for valid medical reasons. Simple examination of the facts and data by the British National Institute for Clinical Excellence show

There is no reliable evidence to support a health benefit to patients from the prophylactic (preventative) removal of pathology free impacted teeth.

Secondly, I would really like to see some information that Dr. Ira Cheifetz says is available regarding why healthy impacted wisdom teeth should be extracted and removed. Sufficient complications occurring in numerous individuals regarding chronic 24/7 headache, death, and permanent injury are reported and continue to emerge as more wisdom teeth are removed when in fact those wisdom teeth were not causing any health problems in the first place!

I encourage you to write, phone, and/or emall Dr. Ira Cheifetz and let him know your thoughts on third molars (wisdom teeth) and why evidence-based medicine is necessary in the United States.

Dr. Ira Cheifetz
Phone: 609/587-2900
E-Mail: iradc@aol.com
2303 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road, Suite 5
Mercerville, New Jersey 08619-1994

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Animals Have Room for Wisdom Teeth

Posted on 22. Aug, 2009 by wisdom.

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An article recently posted by Popular Science http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-08/do-animals-have-wisdom-teeth suggests that animals have room for wisdom teeth.

An evolutionary biologist named Leslea Hlusko of the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that the shape of your jaw is partially determined by what you eat when you are growing up. Since unlike animals, humans cook all the meat they eat usually and do not just tear it off raw, jaws have become smaller in size.

The article also suggests that if you eat a lot of raw carrots and other tubers as a child this may help to make the jaw larger when you get older and thus better accomedate your wisdom teeth so the wisdom teeth do not have to be removed.

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Wisdom Teeth and Dentist Culture

Posted on 30. Jul, 2009 by wisdom.

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I found an interesting article today on how the “Culture of research led to changes in extraction of wisdom teeth.” The article addressed wisdom teeth removal surgery in the United Kingdom (UK) and how this has changed over time. An interesting tidbit is there were 130,000 surgical extraction procedures conducted in England and Wales in 1995.  By 2002, this number had fallen to less than 60,000. The reason was because of research and learning from evidence. There is no benefit to extracting  healthy impacted wisdom teeth since the procedure caries the risk of damage to facial nerves. It is unfortunate that a similar policy has not been implemented in the United States.

On a lighter note, another website discusses deranged dentist names. It is not exactly clear were some of the readers are from, however, some of them are amusing. For example,

The guy who pulled my wisdom teeth (to create more room in my mouth) was named  Dr. Widner (pronounced “widener”). And I had a dentist a few years ago named Dr. Roach.

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Wisdom Tooth Extraction Video

Posted on 01. Jul, 2009 by wisdom.

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The following is a video provided by PBHS Inc,. which is the same company featured in the previous post. While they may engage in practices that promote oral surgeons to all use nearly the exact same content about dentistry, oral surgery, wisdom teeth, and other procedures on their websites, they also do provide decent content. This video talks about the process of getting your wisdom teeth out. Of course they fail to mention that your oral surgeon or one you are considering does not have to mention legally all of the possible complications that could arise from the surgery. Only the more prevalent complications and life-threatening ones are essential and must be mentioned before any procedure such as wisdom teeth removal.

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