wisdom teeth removal

Anesthesia in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Office

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The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) is continuing to attempt to increase their ability to attract young adults to elect to have their wisdom teeth removed. Back in May 2010 they released a video called “Anesthesia: Safety and Comfort in the OMS Office.” The video is over nine minutes long and takes viewers into actual Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon’s offices with interviews by Dr. M. Anthony Pogrel who is Professor and Chair of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of California, San Fransisco, Dr. Andrew Herlich who is Chief of Anesthesiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Dr. Michael Miloro who is director for the Postgraduate Residency Training Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, Dr. Michael Ding who is Chief Resident of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at … Read more

Multidisciplinary Conference on Third Molars (Wisdom Teeth)

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I wanted to let everyone know that on October 19, 2010, at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. there will be a so called “Multidisciplinary Conference on Third Molars.” This meeting will consist on an invitation-only audience. This event is being organized by the American Association of  Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS). Those who will be in attendance include dental, medical, governmental, and third party organizations. I wonder if I will be receiving an invitation however I doubt it due to the nature of the meeting and its intent to promote the removal of healthy impacted wisdom teeth due to so called “accurate and true evidence based research.” Since I now reside near the D.C area I may try to attend the conference to see what is being discussed and to make sure that accurate results are being presented … Read more

Wisdom Teeth Removal Can Lead to Brain Damage

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I have previously discussed how Austin Stone was left in a coma after having his wisdom teeth removed. Recently, I have seen that Megan Rae Comstock several years ago suffered from permanent brain damage as a result of an overdose of sedation while having her wisdom teeth removed. Specifically it appears that her brain was deprived of essential oxygen during the oral surgery which lead to the brain injury and damage. This is believed to have occurred due to the oral surgeon giving Megan more than the recommended amount of sedation during the procedure. It is quoted that Megan “went from being an accomplished pianist and equestrienne to one who is now challenged in these and in many other areas.” It is very unfortunate that complications from wisdom teeth removal can lead to brain damage which is a very serious … Read more

Legal Standpoint of Oral Surgery Complications

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As I have written on my website, I disagree with wisdom teeth removal from a legal standpoint (in addition to scientific). Essentially what I argue is that if you have your wisdom teeth extracted and suffer a complication that is not one of the better known you may not recover any money and be left with the pain, suffering, and loss of earnings for the rest of your life. A recent oral surgeon lawsuit after wisdom teeth removal helps reaffirm my previous remarks.  The article states that Cynthia Thompson sued Dr Princell because he did not disclose all the risks of surgery and she suffered a neurological syndrome (specifically a damaged inferior alveolar nerve) as a result of the wisdom teeth removal. “During the trial, 3 oral surgeons told the court that they knew little about the causes of the … Read more

After Removing Teeth Platelet-Rich Plasma May Aid In Faster Healing Times

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A new study in the Journal of Oral Implantology shows platelet-rich plasma aid in speeding up healing and bone formation after removing a tooth. If a tooth is extracted and the extraction site has poor recovery then excessive jaw bone loss  may delay the use of dental prosthetics or implants. The study looked at patients who had their wisdom teeth removed.  One extraction site was treated with platelet-rich plasma where as the site on the other side of the mouth was served as control. The patients were examined for bleeding,  jaw bone density, healing ,pain, inflammation, and facial swelling for 24 weeks after the wisdom teeth removal occurred. The researchers concluded the platelet-rich plasma treatment had a positive effect on bone density immediately following tooth extraction where as the control sites showed a decrease in bone density during the first … Read more