oral surgery

Can Science Solve Our Problems?

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An interesting article titled “Science and Conscience” appears in the 2015 Journal of Oral and Maxilofacial Surgery written by Thomas Dodson (vol. 73, pp. 2255-2256). The article opens by discussing a study by the NIH seeking to explore the differences in people with a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg versus that of 120 mm Hg. The study was aborted with a year left in its duration. The study concluded achieving a target systolic blood pressure of 120 mm Hg reduced cardiovascular events by almost 33% and death by almost 25% compared with a group with a target systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg. The authors question why such a study was ever needed to be done because it seems so intuitive but later explains that our society today relies on science to achieve it’s high standards. The author then goes on to discuss how there … Read more

Can you Use Low Level Laser Therapy After Wisdom Teeth Removal to Reduce Pain?

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An interesting article titled “Is Low-Level Laser Therapy Effective in the Management of Pain and Swelling After Mandibular Third Molar Surgery?” appears in the July, 2016, issue of Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and written by Majid Eshghpour, Farzaneh Ahrari, and Mohammad Takallu. The article seeks to explore if using low-level laser therapy after removing impacted wisdom teeth can reduce pain and swelling. In the study 40 patients included had lower impacted wisdom teeth on both sides. One side was subjected to lower level laser therapy and the other side just placebo. After removing wisdom teeth patients often experience pain, swelling, and tristmus for several days. Pain usually reaches a peak 3 to 5 hours after surgery while swelling peaks around 12 to 48 hours later. The trauma that occurs during surgery leads to inflammation which causes these other symptoms. Surgeons typically prescribe … Read more

Comparing Complications from Anesthesia with Wisdom Teeth Extractions

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An article titled “Anesthesia Complications of Diazepam Use for Adolescents Receiving Extraction of Third Molars,” appears in the 2016 Journal of Oral and Maxilofacial Surgery by Gino Inverso and et. al, vol. 74, pp. 1140-1144. The article seeks to evaluate the safety of midazolam and diazepam for adolescents during wisdom teeth extraction and whether any differences in complications exist when using the 2 benzodiazepines alone or in combination. Compared with diazepam, midazolam has a faster onset of action, greater incidence of amnesia, and shorter recovery time. The authors hypothesized that diazepam, when used as an intravenous sedative agent for third molar extraction, would be associated with a higher rate of anesthetic complication than midazolam. The study included patients enrolled in the OMSOS from January 2001 through December 2010. To be included, patients had to be adolescents (<21 yr old) who … Read more

Prevalence of Visible Third Molars in the United States Population

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An interesting article titled “Prevalence of Visible Third Molars in the United States Population: How Many Individuals Have Third Molars?” appears in the 2016 Journal of Oral and Maxilofacial Surgery 74, pp. 13-17, 2016, by Caitlin B. L. Magraw et al. In the article, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is examined to look at the prevalence of wisdom teeth (third molars) in the U.S. population. Cross-sectional analyses of third molar data were conducted by the authors from the NHANES databases of 2001 through 2002, 2009 through 2010, and 2011 through 2012 to compare data for similarity of outcomes on wisdom teeth prevalence in the US population. The authors found the number of visible third molars in the NHANES databases of 2011 through 2012 decreased progressively from a mean of 1.48 in the 20 to 29 year old … Read more

Patient’s Perception of Antibiotic Need After Teeth Removal

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An interesting article titled “Patients’ Perception of the Need for Antibiotics Following Routine Tooth Extraction,” appears in the May 2015 issue of the Journal of Oral and Maxilofacial Sugery and written by Charles D. Boxx and Daniel M. Laskin (vol. 73, issue 5). The article seeks to perform a study of 120 patients having teeth removed in Richmond, Virginia, at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), to see their perception of antibiotic need. The patients were asked to complete a questionnaire about whether they expected to be prescribed antibiotics after tooth extraction, whether they would request them if not prescribed and the reason why, and whether they would expect to be prescribed antibiotics for a toothache or a dental abscess. The patients were further asked if they had ever requested antibiotics from a medical doctor for a cold. The patients also indicated … Read more