Wisdom Teeth

12 Million Given After Wisdom Teeth Removal Caused Death

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In New Jersey, a jury has reached a verdict to award over 12 million to the family of 21 year old Francis Keller who had died the morning after his wisdom teeth extractions. The verdict is believed to be one of the largest ever awarded for dental malpractice. The 21 year old man died from suffocation in August of 2005. The morning after the extractions he had trouble breathing due to swelling in his throat. However, it was known that Keller had a genetic immune disorder which caused severe swelling in reaction to trauma. The oral surgeon who extracted the teeth was aware of the immunity disorder and performed the wisdom teeth removal anways. The verdict was obtained by David A. Mazie of the law firm of Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman, LLP. To learn more about the attorney and … Read more

Wisdom Teeth Removal Leaves to Death Two Days After

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Through an email I was saddened to hear about the recent loss and death of a young 21 year old. Her name was Victoria “Tori” Rubino. The article states “Rubino had had her wisdom teeth removed by dentists in her hometown two days before.” The results and reasons surrounding her death are still not clear. Hopefully a reason can be found soon. My website lists other reasons as to why people have died from wisdom teeth removal, although typically it happens more suddenly than several days after the extraction. To learn more visit http://web.bu.edu/today/campus-life/2009/03/09/student-dies-sleep-home

Monkey Stem Cells Stimulate Brain

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Researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, have discovered dental pulp stem cells can stimulate growth and generation of several types of neural cells. They suggest dental pulp stem cells show promise for use in cell therapy and regenerative medicine, particularly therapies associated with the central nervous system. Dental stem cells are adult stem cells, one of the two major divisions of stem cell research. Adult stem cells have the ability to regenerate many different types of cells, promising great therapeutic potential, especially for diseases such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s. Already, dental pulp stem cells have been used for regeneration of dental and craniofacial cells. Yerkes researcher Anthony Chan, DVM, PhD, and his team of researchers placed dental pulp stem cells from the tooth of a rhesus macaque into the hippocampal areas of mice. The dental pulp … Read more

Vasovagal Syncope at the Dentist

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Vasovagal syncope is characterized by a loss of consciousness and muscle tone, which typically are preceded by non-specific symptoms that last anywhere from a few seconds to a minute. These symptoms result from alterations in the nervous system that can include dizziness, lightheadedness, paleness, palpitations, nausea, sweating, hyperventilation and changes in vision. According to Dr. Kapusta, DDS, “Any patient who experiences a syncope reaction may have an underlying cause that can predispose him or her to a life-threatening situation.” It is considered the most common clinical problem that occurs among patients of all ages, affecting 3.5 percent of the general population. Emotional stress, anxiety, pain, fatigue and being in a hot and crowded environment can lead to vasovagal syncope. “It is not uncommon for patients to experience some anxiety when visiting their general dentist,” says  Melvin Pierson, DDS. “Yet, there … Read more

Root Canal

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I found a pretty informative video on root canal therapy. The video discusses what a root canal is, whether or not you need a root canal, how much pain to expect, the recovery time, and the chance the root canal is successful. Remember that not all root canals will be a success and there are risks with every procedure.