Recent Stories on Wisdom Teeth Removal Death

I have recently posted about 2 potential deaths from wisdom teeth removal that occurred this year in 2014. The first one is an 18 year old man in Maine (see Eighteen Year Old Music Student in Portland Dies After Wisdom Teeth Removal). The second is a 24 year old woman who went into a coma in Hawaii (see Mother of Two in Hawaii in a Coma After Wisdom Teeth Surgery). These stories got some play in various media outlets. For example, Mike Adams of NaturalNews.com wrote an article titled “Wisdom teeth surgery a deadly dental scam: Young mother falls into coma following visit to dentist” see  http://www.naturalnews.com/044415_wisdom_teeth_extraction_dental_scam_death_risk.html#ixzz2xOPQYbzy. In the article Mike says “Across virtually the entire industry of conventional dentistry, this dangerous surgery scam is pushed on patients with unethical fear tactics that claim asymptomatic wisdom teeth — teeth with no symptoms, … Read more

Music to Listen to After Wisdom Teeth Removal: 2013 Edition

I have previously made numerous posts with some recommendations for music you can listen to after having your wisdom teeth removed. See the posts Music To Listen to After Wisdom Teeth Removal: Gangnam Style, Music to Listen to After Wisdom Teeth Removal: Christian Music, Music to Listen to After Wisdom Teeth Removal: Jazz Songs, Music to Listen to After Wisdom Teeth Removal: Rock and Roll Songs, and Music To Listen to After Wisdom Teeth Removal: YouTube Musicians. Since, I haven’t posted any new videos of music in over a year, I will do so here for your listening needs after wisdom teeth extraction. Tyler Ward- Some Kind of Beautiful Avery – Good Times Megan Nicole – Summer Forever Avicii – You Make Me Avril Lavigne – Let Me Go Psy – Gentleman Now some of these artists I have previously … Read more

Active Surveillance For Managing Retained Wisdom Teeth

An interesting expert opinion by Thomas B. Dodson appears in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery vol. 70, issue 9, supplement 1, pages 20-24, 2012, titled ” Surveillance as a Management Strategy for Retained Third Molars: Is It Desirable?”  The author opens by describing in the third paragraph that the treatment of symptomatic disease-free wisdom teeth can be challenging. The author states in the third paragraph “Absent good evidence, management decisions should incorporate the clinician’s experience and expertise, and after a careful, balanced review of the risks and benefits of both treatment options, weigh heavily the patient’s wishes and desires regarding extraction versus retention. The opinions in this chapter reflect the author’s personal decision-making process based on a careful literature review and clinical experience/expertise.” The author opens by describing his clinical classification of wisdom teeth rationale. He states that … Read more

Looking at the Timing of Removal of Wisdom Teeth and It’s Effect on Complications

An interesting study by M. Anthony Pogrel titled “What Is the Effect of Timing of Removal on the Incidence and Severity of Complications?” appears in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, vol. 70, issue 9, supplement 1, pages S37-S40, 2012. The author sets out to explore if younger patients (less than 25 years) have a decreased risk for postoperative complications than older patients.  The author begins by describing three studies in the literature that have shown that complications associated with wisdom teeth removal increase after 25 years of age. I have also mentioned several of these studies over at http://www.teethremoval.com/wisdomteeth.html. The author then goes on to discuss that recovery for patients of wisdom teeth surgery older than 21 may be delayed after extraction (by two studies). The author then discusses that mandibular fracture and tuberosity fracture may occur after … Read more

When Abstinence is Evidence-Based

I came across a 2012 talk Jay W. Friedman gave titled “When Abstinence is Evidence-Based: The Case Against Prophylactic Third Molar Extractions,” at the 2012 National Oral Health Conference. The PowerPoint for the talk is located over at http://www.nationaloralhealthconference.com/docs/presentations/2012/05-02/Jay%20Friedman.pdf (I have mirrored it over at http://www.teethremoval.com/When_abstinence_is_evidenced_based.pdf). For those not aware of Jay W. Friedman you can start by reading the post American Journal of Public Health Author Jay W. Friedman is 2009 Author of the Year and Looking at the Concept of Prevention in Dentistry. Some interesting graphics appear in the talk, a few which I have included in this post. The talk is very concise and to the point and very informative for anyone considering whether or not to extract wisdom teeth (third molars). I will now provide a brief overview of the talk, but encourage you to look … Read more