Wisdom Teeth

Unique Complications after Wisdom Teeth Removal: Case Reports

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Complications can occur after having wisdom teeth surgery, see http://www.teethremoval.com/complications.html. Some of these complications are pretty rare and unusual. Recently in Oral Surgery several case reports have been reported describing some rare complications after wisdom teeth surgery. In the article titled “Spread of infection to skull base via infratemporal fossa after dental extraction related to the use of a high-speed hand piece: a case report” by Moore et al. appearing in Oral Surgery in 2018 (vol. 11, pp. 121-124) discussion is made of a 36 year old woman who had a lower right wisdom tooth removed. The woman developed a deep fascial infection that required formal exploration and drainage. The authors speculate that the woman experienced swelling and infection because of the use of an air driven high-speed hand piece used in the extraction. Forced air from the hand piece … Read more

Wisdom teeth and periodontal damage of second molars

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An interesting article titled “Third molars and periodontal damage of second molars in the general population,” written by Kindler et al. appears in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, (vol. 45, pp. 1365-1374, 2018). The article explores the association between impacted or erupted wisdom teeth and periodontal pathology using probing depth and clinical attachment levels. Additional information on periodontal probing depth and a wisdom tooth’s effect on adjacent second molars can be found on the Risks of Keeping Wisdom Teeth page on this website. In previous works impacted wisdom teeth have been identified as a risk factor for developing tumors, dental cysts, and other pathology in adjacent second molars. Even without periodontal symptoms, periodontal damage on the distal aspect of second molars can be present. In the article the authors looked at data from a population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (specifically West Pomerania, … Read more

Was Wisdom Teeth Removal Performed Without Consent that Lead to Trigeminal Nerve Damage, Migraines, and Dizziness?

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An Illinois woman has filed a lawsuit against her dentist and dentist assistant in October, 2019, alleging that four wisdom teeth were extracted without informed consent. Just before the surgery occurring in September 2017, the woman alleges that she spoke with the dental assistant about concerns with going forward with the extraction. However, the surgery proceeded and the woman was given general anesthesia. The woman’s boyfriend at the time of the surgery signed of on the informed consent form although there was no legal right to do so. The dentist was not aware that the woman had nerves that were too close to the wisdom tooth and thus should have required a more complex procedure. The suit says the dentist used an “overly aggressive, improper technique” and “negligently and carelessly failed to properly inform the plaintiff of all the risks.” … Read more

What Movies to Watch After Wisdom Teeth Removal?

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After having wisdom teeth extracted there is some downtime while everything heals and the recovery process occurs. Perhaps you are used to a more active lifestyle and are not used to having to just sit around for several days without any strenuous activity. If this is the case you might be looking for a few movies to watch to keep you occupied. The following describes some steps to take to locate those movies to watch that perhaps you may enjoy.  First, you may want to consider what genre movie you are interested. Different people have different tastes. Genres to consider include Action, Adventure, Animation, Biography, Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Film Noir, History , Horror, Music, Musical, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Short, Sport, Superhero, Thriller, War, Western. After considering different genre options this may give you an idea of what you … Read more

Using Cryotherapy including Ice Packs and Cold Compress after Wisdom Teeth Surgery to Reduce Swelling and Pain and Improve Mouth Opening

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An interesting article titled “Therapeutic efficacy of cryotherapy on facial swelling, pain, trismus and quality of life after surgical removal of mandibular third molars: A systematic review,” written by Larson et al. appears in the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation (2019). The article seeks to test the hypothesis that swelling, pain and trismus (limited mouth opening) is not changed from the use of cyrotherapy. Cryotherapy is where cold is applied to the skin for therapeutic purposes such as using ice packs, gel packs, cold compresses, and Hilotherm face masks. Cryotherapy is regularly used by athletes to treat musculoskeletal injuries. It is known that many patients are using cryotherapy after wisdom teeth removal already, see for example the post Recent Celebrities to have Wisdom Teeth Removal. The authors were motivated to perform the study because facial swelling, pain and trismus had not … Read more