Wisdom Teeth

It’s clear that there are large differences between what American and European doctors think with regards to the removal of wisdom teeth.   Since 1997, dental surgeons inEngland have been following guidelines stating to not remove wisdom teeth unless there is evidence of disease. Further inflammation of the gingivia surrounding the crown of a tooth also warrants removal. It is also common practice in England for doctor’s to cancel any unnecessary planned operations. These guidelines also save millions of dollars each year. To view the entire article on guidelines in England click here http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/320/7239/890/a.pdf

This story is a month old, but I wanted to make a comment about it. Having general anesthesia is not without complications. Leejay Levene, 18, died during a visit to a Waterloo dental surgeon to have three wisdom teeth removed. Surgery was required because the teeth were embedded in the jawbone. Due to the nature of a potentially painful procedure, many patients often prefer the use of a general anesthetic. Leejay’s mother, Shirley, said that Leejay was nervous about the surgery since he always breathed through his mouth and was concerned that he might not be able to breathe properly. Leejay had just gone under general anesthesia when something went horribly wrong. He started to struggle for breath. The ambulance arrived within seven minutes, with a more advanced unit arriving five minutes later. The anesthesiologist had been attempting to resuscitate … Read more