wisdom tooth

Indications for Removal of Wisdom Teeth

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These days in 2019 the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) has a page on their website titled “Third Molar Research News” that contains information on how to manage wisdom teeth, see https://www.aaoms.org/media/third-molar-research-news. How to manage wisdom teeth continues to be contested when wisdom teeth are healthy and not causing symptoms, see for example http://www.teethremoval.com/controversy.html. One of the documents AAOMS provides is titled “The Management of Impacted Third Molar Teeth” and contains a long list of what they consider as medically necessary and valid reasons for surgical removal of wisdom teeth, see https://www.aaoms.org/docs/practice_resources/clinical_resources/impacted_third_molars.pdf. However at least two of these reasons seem to be unsupported by current scientific evidence and thinking. The first reason in doubt given by AAOMS as a valid reason which seems to lack evidence is insufficient space to accommodate erupting tooth or teeth. This reason … Read more

Antibiotics for Dental Use Contributing to SuperBugs

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Research has shown that antibiotics prescribed by dentists for various dental surgeries and procedures may contribute to the development of Clostridium difficile (C. diff), a serious and potentially deadly infection with severe diarrhea. A common questions many patients ask if they are having their wisdom teeth out includes if they should take antibiotics. This topic has been covered before on teethremoval.com, for example see http://www.teethremoval.com/antibiotic_resistance.html, https://blog.teethremoval.com/patients-perception-of-antibiotic-need-after-teeth-removal/,and https://blog.teethremoval.com/the-effect-of-a-single-dose-of-antibiotics-prior-to-wisdom-teeth-surgery/. The current guidance seems to recommend a single dose of antibiotics prior to surgery for high risk patients for postoperative infections but other healthy patients do not need any antibiotics prior to surgery. During the annual ID Week2017, which is an annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), researchers presented their findings on antibiotic prescriptions leading … Read more

Getting Braces Before or After Wisdom Teeth Extraction: Which is The Better Option?

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Is it better to get braces or wait for a child’s wisdom teeth to come through? This is the most common question that most orthodontists are asked by their patients. The common concern that all parents have about their children getting braces early on is that their wisdom teeth may erupt at a later stage and throw the rest of their teeth out of alignment. The truth is that most children don’t get their wisdom teeth until they enter their early college years, and there are very few if any children who will want to wait until then to start their orthodontic treatment. Wisdom Teeth and How They Affect the Alignment of Teeth Wisdom tooth removal is not necessary for everyone but may be needed for children who need braces as emerging wisdom teeth may crowd the mouth which does … Read more

Two million settlement in wisdom teeth extraction death

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A 17 year old woman died in June 2015, after having her wisdom teeth removed. This has been reported on http://teethremoval.com/death.html since 2015. The woman was from Minnesota and went into cardiac arrest during the surgery. The woman’s parents in early 2017, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The court documents said that the surgeon and staff did not appropriately anticipate or respond to the emergency. The lawsuit said there were dangerous actions, from incorrectly administering general anesthesia to failing to provide proper monitoring during surgery. The attorney said the parents sued the doctor as it “…gave the family a better understanding of how the death of their daughter came about… They had the courage in a difficult situation to seek the truth about why their daughter died.” The attorney also said “I’m absolutely convinced that … Read more

Collagen Treatment After Wisdom Teeth Removal

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An interesting article titled “Effects of Collagen Resorbable Membrane Placement After the Surgical Extraction of Impacted Lower Third Molars,” appears in the 2015 Journal of Oral and Maxilofacial Surgery (vol. 73, pp. 1457-1464) written by Isidoro Cortell-Ballester and et. al. The article explores the use of resorbable collagen membranes (RMs) in the healing of a bone defect on the distal side of a lower second molar (L2M) after surgical extraction of an impacted lower wisdom tooth. In recent years, various clinical studies have been carried out to evaluate the efficacy of guided tissue regeneration in the treatment of intraosseous defects and deep periodontal pockets on the distal aspect of lower second molars after surgical extraction of impacted wisdom teeth. Nonresorbable expanded tetrafluoroethylene membranes, resorbable polylactic acid and resorbable collagen membranes (RMs), bone graft substitutes, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have been … Read more