Wisdom tooth extraction death

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Snick1946

Snick1946

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Saw this today:

http://news.yahoo.com/parents-sue-teen-dies-during-wisdom-tooth-surgery-143224302.html

So tragic, she was their only child and was undergoing what they thought was a routine procedure.

I don't want to offend any dentists in our group, there can be solid reasons for this procedure. Far too often it's 'yank em out' and this is sold to parents as a necessary thing. I still have mine and I'm in my early sixties with no apparent ill effect. Mine never came in; for years every time I went to a new dentist I got the hard sell on having this done and refused.
 
My 23-year-old son just had his out...they were growing sideways in his mouth, causing a lot of pain, and he couldn't get to the teeth back there to brush them adequately. Thank goodness he wasn't put under to have this done! If I had a child who had to be put under, I'd have the procedure done in a hospital.
 
Lots of us really have no choice but to have our wisdom teeth removed. There simply isn't room in our mouths for them and we are in constant pain. (My own were removed over a period of 20 years, as each became a problem.)

What often IS a choice is the decision to have it done under a general anesthetic. I've had it done both ways (before I knew the risks) and there's no question it's more pleasant to be totally out when they yank out a tooth.

But it usually isn't essential. And a certain (small) percentage of people will react badly to a general anesthetic regardless of the skill of the doctors. Meanwhile, a local anesthetic can in most cases take care of the pain, so one merely has to deal with the unpleasant pressure and cracking sounds.

I'm sure there are cases where the patient has no choice but to be put out completely. For the rest of us, less (anesthetic) is more (safe).

(ETA: to be perfectly clear, I am not an orthodontist. The above is my opinion based on my experiences as a patient.)
 
This is so terrifying! I had all four of mine removed via oral surgery several years ago. I was in terrible pain and there was really no choice.

My son had all four of his removed last year - also under anesthesia - at age 17. Oddly (and thankfully), my daughter has NO wisdom teeth at all.
 
I have to go to the dentist with a broken tooth on Monday morning! :panic: :anguish: :noooo:
 
Nefriahaia said:
I have to go to the dentist with a broken tooth on Monday morning! :panic: :anguish: :noooo:
Click to expand...

I'm so sorry if you are in pain. But it's too soon to panic. You may just need a cap to fix the tooth. That can often be done with no pain at all.
 
Fairy1 said:
This is so terrifying! I had all four of mine removed via oral surgery several years ago. I was in terrible pain and there was really no choice.

My son had all four of his removed last year - also under anesthesia - at age 17. Oddly (and thankfully), my daughter has NO wisdom teeth at all.
Click to expand...

I think your daughter is the future, Fairy1. Does she have an appendix?
 
My five kids:

2 with no wisdom teeth
1 with one wisdom tooth (lower)
1 with two wisdom teeth (lower only)
1 with all four

Plus, one of my children never developed an adult molar in the exact same position as I never did.

My son had all four of his removed prior to braces and he was awake, just numbed but his weren't impacted (but had the potential to be so and he didn't have enough room in his mouth for them if they erupted anyway).

Bless this family. Such a terrible loss.
 
Nova said:
I think your daughter is the future, Fairy1. Does she have an appendix?
Click to expand...

im 25 and ive got none,i searched online n it says if u dont have them by 25 its unlikely you'll get any so im hoping thats the case and im the future too :great::great:

i hope i dont get any and have to get them out,i'm not to keen on the idea of going under anesthesia never have done just freaks me out :woohoo:
 
These poor parents. How terribly sad.

Praying DD doesn't read that.

On the other side of the fence I told DD "those wisdom teeth need to come out". That went on for a few years. The Dentist claimed she isn't complaining so they are fine. Fast forward and there's a young lady in pain leading to is it her ear? Is it allergies? Lost school time, lost work time. I say "It's them teeth".

So we're at an oral surgeon who calls me back to show me the small crack in the tooth that lead to infection. "No wonder she was in pain" the man says. My kid does not cry and to see her crying one night in an ER about killed me. Nobody knew what it was.

One more left to take out. Needless to say she has a new Dentist, but it messed her jaw up no question.

My heart breaks for these parents.
 
I'm having all of my teeth taken out in stages, and I don't want general anesthesia. Maybe it's the way I was raised, but I have always believed that the only reason for general anesthetic is if and when you are being cut open, and really don't want to be awake anyway. I had four, including one wisdom tooth, removed, just over a year ago, and I'll be having the rest taken out about a dozen at a time, and I'm not at all worried about being awake when it's done. The idea of being knocked out for something so simple scares me more than the procedure.
 
Im surprised that there are still dentists doing general anasthesia in their office. I have a child with special needs and couldnt find any dentists within in a 200 mile radius that would. We have to go to the hospital and the dentist does the work with an anathesiologist.
 
My #2 son was born without any-- interesting how many there are just on this thread! #1 son had his removed with a nitrous gas treatment, as I did (my dentist flew me to the moon and back, lol).
 
The complications were "heart rate and blood oxygen level dropped" and "hypoxia -- oxygen deprivation while she was anesthetized".

Ok. So her heart stopped her a bit, and she was resuscitated. But, that is a risk with all surgeries. Also, it could be that she was taking a drug that was not reported to the anesthetist which made putting her and keeping her under more difficult. I'm not trying to place/divert blame.

I'm not seeing where they have a case to sue.

Sure, it's sad that this girl was their only child although I kind of get the impression from the article that if they had another child they wouldn't be going this route?

Article says "if they hadn't waited so long she would still be here". Isn't true. Obviously (I hope) there is some information missing from the article, because I don't know how long their 'so long' is. But, it's realistic that even if resuscitation is started seconds after the heart rate slows down that the person won't be brought back.

It's a risk with all surgeries, and like the article and some in here have said it isn't a necessary surgery. Her family could have opted out of it. They chose not to. It's sad sure, but they assumed the risk by having her have the surgery.
------
When I had mine out I had the gas mask type, and I think (not 100% sure) that surgery was performed in a hospital room.
 
I was totally out to have mine removed. I've been under for two additional surgeries since then, and one of those lasted five hours because of complications. I actually enjoy going under, although waking up is sometimes scary and the four hours of waiting around in the hospital beforehand is no cream puff, either. I wish we could do more things zonked like that, like maybe taxes or car buying.

I feel bad for the family, it's just a sad situation all around. But having gone through the paperwork so many times I'm pretty sure you sign away your life (literally and figuratively) when you agree to the anesthesia, so I don't know that they have any recourse.
 
I was knocked out when they took three of my wisdom teeth out. One of them was still not erupted. That was the best trip that I have ever had to the dentist for "work". I have had experiences where novocaine did not numb me up (even with about 7-8 injections) and felt the drilling into my tooth. :eek:

I still have one wisdom tooth. It is impacted and may need to come out someday, but I am in no hurry. If it doesn't bother me, I will leave it. I had a rough recovery from that surgery. I had infected gum tissue from the teeth trying to erupt. I was in horrible pain. If it comes out, I am getting knocked out again.

I have a pretty high tolerance to pain. Last year, I passed a kidney stone and didn't know it until it passed. I delivered my second baby without pain meds and was up and walking around 20 minutes later. But, I am a huge sissy when it comes to dental pain.
 
Snick1946 said:
Saw this today:

http://news.yahoo.com/parents-sue-teen-dies-during-wisdom-tooth-surgery-143224302.html

So tragic, she was their only child and was undergoing what they thought was a routine procedure.

I don't want to offend any dentists in our group, there can be solid reasons for this procedure. Far too often it's 'yank em out' and this is sold to parents as a necessary thing. I still have mine and I'm in my early sixties with no apparent ill effect. Mine never came in; for years every time I went to a new dentist I got the hard sell on having this done and refused.
Click to expand...

Worked for an oral surgeon in FL that had a man die because the doc removed his teeth without waiting long enough for the antibiotic to work. Teeth were abscessed and infection went to his heart after the extractions and he died.

I was born without lower wisdom teeth. Uppers were removed....they shattered in a dozen or more pieces. I knew nothing as they gave ne the IV white stuff. I was flipping gone!
 
Kat said:
My five kids:

2 with no wisdom teeth
1 with one wisdom tooth (lower)
1 with two wisdom teeth (lower only)
1 with all four

Plus, one of my children never developed an adult molar in the exact same position as I never did.

My son had all four of his removed prior to braces and he was awake, just numbed but his weren't impacted (but had the potential to be so and he didn't have enough room in his mouth for them if they erupted anyway).

Bless this family. Such a terrible loss.
Click to expand...

Damn, Kat! Your family could staff a traveling freak show!

(He typed affectionately.)
 
josie1986 said:
im 25 and ive got none,i searched online n it says if u dont have them by 25 its unlikely you'll get any so im hoping thats the case and im the future too :great::great:

i hope i dont get any and have to get them out,i'm not to keen on the idea of going under anesthesia never have done just freaks me out :woohoo:
Click to expand...

Your dentist should be able to tell you, the next time you have x-rays done of your teeth. I believe wisdom teeth are present under the skin and visible to x-rays long before they break the skin.

(Here's hoping you don't have any and don't have to bother.)
 
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