Wisdom tooth extraction death

[Melanie]

oh bless. This is such a tough call because it could happen to any of us. Me and DH and DS still have all our wisdom teef - but my mom had hers removed in her 60's because of pain. I must say she was never the same after a massive infection and died months thereafter from diabetes/stroke. But I don't think the teeth had anything to do with it other than perhaps make her immune system a bit worse from the infection.

Personally, you'd have to drag me screaming to get it done. I've heard too many horror stories and (like I said) watched my mom go through such a hard time.

MOO

Mel

 

[Nova]

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.

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.

Stoshie, I had the same problem with xylocaine not working; I even had several root canals performed without anesthesia. The problem was always with my lower teeth.

Finally one dentist told me the problem was that the nerves that run along each lower jaw were higher in the back (where they give the shots) than normal. Since then, all I've had to do is explain that to the dentist or orthodontist and they get the shots right and my lower teeth numbed without a problem.

This may not be the problem in your case, but I thought I should mention it.

 

[Nova]

oh bless. This is such a tough call because it could happen to any of us. Me and DH and DS still have all our wisdom teef - but my mom had hers removed in her 60's because of pain. I must say she was never the same after a massive infection and died months thereafter from diabetes/stroke. But I don't think the teeth had anything to do with it other than perhaps make her immune system a bit worse from the infection.

Personally, you'd have to drag me screaming to get it done. I've heard too many horror stories and (like I said) watched my mom go through such a hard time.

MOO

Mel

You're probably right. But my cardiologist tells me the latest studies show even greater connections between tooth infections and heart problems than previously thought. (But at the same time, they have stopped recommending antibiotics for heart problems other than major things like valve replacements. So one thing seems to contradict the other.)

 

[legalmania]

I have a friend who is a dentist. He said a patient stopped breathing during an extraction, he immediately started CPR and had his assistant call 911. The man began breathing before the emt's got there. He said he was never so happy to see paramedics in his life. The man was o.k. That is the only time he had someone stop breathing. He worked on my kids teeth as well as mine, I trust him 100%.

 

[Nova]

legal, I hope I was clear that I wasn't saying dentists are commonly negligent, but that general anesthesia carries some small percentage of risk, regardless of the competence of the doctor(s) involved.

If your point was to emphasize that the risk is rare, thank you. That is my understand as well. I just wonder whether any risk is worth it when a local anesthetic does just fine and the additional comfort of a general anesthetic is largely psychological and brief. (As I wrote above, I assume there are also cases where the general is absolutely essential; that would make the risk worthwhile, of course.)

 

[shana]

I apparently stopped breathing under Versed for dental work. It was panic time (they gave me too much for my size) but fixed the consequences instantly. The dental office specialized in Sleep Dentistry and had the requisite staff (1:1) and resuscitation equipment right there, chairside.

All of this I am told by my God-daughter, a nurse who was there at the time (I surely wasn't all there)...and later corroborated by another dentist when hearing about what had happened.

All I know is that it took me 3-4 days thereafter before I was able to walk normally.

I don't classify Versed as a General Anesthetic like Sodium Pentothal but it can be administered to varying degrees, enough to 'put you out'.

I'm still not clear on what anesthetic this young girl was given that resulted in such a sad outcome...perhaps I missed reading it in my haste.

 

[Fairy1]

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

Not sure about appendix, but score one for evolution on the wisdom teeth, right?

My daughter is truly fearless. She probably would've let me rip out her wisdom teeth with pliers and she wouldn't have flinched!

However.....my son is a bit of a worry-wart. Sooooooo, I took him in to get his wisdom teeth out. He was just getting over a cold, and the oral surgeon wanted to wait until he was 100% well. I was okay with that.

HOWEVER.....In the interim, I read all the paperwork pertaining to the dangers and didn't share it with my son - because I knew he would FREAK OUT!

One of the ladies in the office said every one of the four extractions was different and she had never seen that before in all her years.

Anywho.....it was done and he is fine and did extremely well with the whole thing.

That said, I am soooooo glad not to have to make this decision again for my own babies. I'm not sure I could do it!

A bit O/T, I have had a few root canals and the doc who did all of them is such an amazingly lovely, gentle superstar!!! Not one shred of pain.....EVER! Don't be afraid - just find a good doc!

 

[krkrjx]

This is not general dentistry in my area, it is surgery. Most dentists will not remove wisdom teeth here anymore--they refer all their patient's to an oral surgeon for this. And as with most surgery, there is always some risk involved. I feel very sad for these parents but even in situations where a surgeon does everything right, things can go wrong.

I had my upper wisdom teeth removed by a general dentist because they had large cavities and wisdom teeth, because they are so far back in the jaw, are difficult to work on. One was removed and several years later the other was removed. I still have my lowers and both have fillings.

My daughter was referred at age 16 to have hers removed. There was nothing wrong with them but the dentist said they had to come out. I asked why, because until then I had no idea that wisdom teeth were considered useless teeth and that most people had theirs removed even if they were not a problem. My daughter needed hers removed in order to have successful orthodontic treatment. She went to an oral surgeon and it was done under general anesthesia; she had no complications at all. Just saying that they do have to be removed for some people but not for everyone. I say treat it like surgery and don't do it if it isn't necessary.

 

[Kat]

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

(He typed affectionately.)

Hey that's an idea! We might be able to recover the money that we had to dole out for the 3 sets of braces we had to pay for this year. ouch!

 

[keeponsearching]

I was planning on getting mine out this month. But it came to fast. Now I am a little nervous. The dentist said he recommend them to come out, but uhhh they don't bother me. I think I'll be doing some research.

I feel really sad for these parents

 

[iluvmua]

I was planning on getting mine out this month. But it came to fast. Now I am a little nervous. The dentist said he recommend them to come out, but uhhh they don't bother me. I think I'll be doing some research.

I feel really sad for these parents

It's not that bad, I had mine out when I was 22. They either give you an IV (they did me) or they give you a shot in the mouth (I Think).

I was out in a nano second after they gave me the IV.

 

[BuzzieCat]

I had all 4 of mine out at once with an oral surgeon. I am a difficult stick, so we went with "laughing gas" and local anesthetic, no general. The local worked well, and all I felt was pressure. I do remember a cracking, creaking sound as each tooth was removed! But it didn't hurt. Some of mine had cavities and were hurting so had to come out. My friend doesn't have any wisdom teeth and teased me that she was "more evolved." It's funny now, but at the time I wasn't amused!

 

[jjenny]

I had one of mine removed under local anesthesia. I didn't want anything done under general anesthesia precisely of what happened to that poor girl. My dentist told me to have the others removed, but I am not doing it-they don't bother me-and if ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Robin Hood]

I had mine out last month via our good old NHS. 6 injections to freeze the mouth (it kept disappearing into the abscess inside the tooth) and a lot of digging and pulling but it was sorted. The whole wide awake experience lasted 3/4 of an hour. All was well until the anaesthetic wore off and then I had agony for 3 days and nights due to the infection from the abscess running into the wound. I'm still ok being wide awake during the procedure, wouldn't want to be out cold.

 

[tlcya]

in 1983 all of my wisdom teeth were removed. They were growing in sideways and two of them were causing me quite a bit of pain. I was 15 or 16 at the time. The procedure was performed in a hospital because I was going to be anesthetized. I had no idea that 30 years later that sometimes this was NOT done in hospital.

So very sad.

 

[stilettos]

I had mine out last month via our good old NHS. 6 injections to freeze the mouth (it kept disappearing into the abscess inside the tooth) and a lot of digging and pulling but it was sorted. The whole wide awake experience lasted 3/4 of an hour. All was well until the anaesthetic wore off and then I had agony for 3 days and nights due to the infection from the abscess running into the wound. I'm still ok being wide awake during the procedure, wouldn't want to be out cold.

It is dangerous to pull wisdom teeth when an active abscess is present.

 

[wfgodot]

I had a badly impacted wisdom tooth removed one Hallowe'en Day, without being put "under." My oral surgeon at one point was bracing his foot on the dental chair I was in and pulling, pulling. Egad. Also got to see bits of tooth flying out of my mouth during the drilling bit. Memorable! (Answering the door to trick or treaters later, with blood running out the corner of my mouth, was a bonus.)

And all because I was afraid of the anesthesia. But I had my reasons - fears like this case years later. R.I.P.

 

[stilettos]

I apparently stopped breathing under Versed for dental work. It was panic time (they gave me too much for my size) but fixed the consequences instantly. The dental office specialized in Sleep Dentistry and had the requisite staff (1:1) and resuscitation equipment right there, chairside.

All of this I am told by my God-daughter, a nurse who was there at the time (I surely wasn't all there)...and later corroborated by another dentist when hearing about what had happened.

All I know is that it took me 3-4 days thereafter before I was able to walk normally.

I don't classify Versed as a General Anesthetic like Sodium Pentothal but it can be administered to varying degrees, enough to 'put you out'.

I'm still not clear on what anesthetic this young girl was given that resulted in such a sad outcome...perhaps I missed reading it in my haste.

Never heard of giving Versed for dental work. They give me Versed for my neck and back epidurals....doesn't do a thing. I am 110lbs and they give me double the dose for my weight and still doesn't hit me. My doc says I am an anomaly. :waitasec::crazy:

 

[Snick1946]

I think I posted that mine never came in; they do show up on dental xrays but are below the gum line, never once had any problem with them. I used to get my arm twisted all the time about having them out, and I always asked why? Usually got something about how they might cause problems in the future and I'd just say if that happens, THEN I'll do it. I recall in my thirties going to an oral surgeon for some issue and his being amazed and seemingly appalled that I still had them. He was actually showing my xrays to some staff in front of me like I was some freak.

Going in to extract teeth below the gum line for no good reason always seemed to me to be a real stretch. In some cases I think the dentist was more interested in making money on me than in any real reason being there. Glad I never did it.

 

[AbbieNormal]

I had mine out when I was 16 (back in the mid 70's) and they gave me IV valium for anesthesia. I felt and remembered nothing.

I recently had a tooth extracted because it had cracked and was causing me pain- they gave me the nitrous oxide at my request, cost me additional $90 for that...