Yet again, more third molar controversy

[NDPitch]

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For some reason, third molars are making headlines in the news today.

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/201...kill-budding-wisdom-teeth-study-suggests?lite

To the seasoned dentists out there, how long has this type of stuff been making headlines, making people say things like "Well, so much for the bread and butter of an oral surgeon!". Will there always be "the next great thing" that's supposed to change the scope of practice, only to find out that nothing really changed years and years later? For example, fluoridation of the water supply is often seen as a crowning achievement in healthcare - but people still have decay, and many towns are starting to REMOVE the fluoride from their water. I don't think there's any doubt it helped a ton, but people still need fillings.


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http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/03/17580165-24-year-old-dies-after-wisdom-teeth-surgery?lite

I've seen a couple of these stories lately. That sucks. This story is very vague, but assuming the surgeon did everything right, could he still be bagged by some ambulance chaser? You don't hear of this type of stuff as often as say, someone going after an OB/GYN because of birth defects. How protected are dentists with their malpractice insurance? Death and going to the dentist aren't things you normally think of together.

Anyway, sorry, I'm just bored and thought I'd post these. It seemed strange to find two third molar stories in the headlines in one day. Feel free to share your thoughts on either of them.

 

[UCSFx2017]

They said it was only statistically significant with mandibular 3rd molars. What about the maxillary's? And why not the maxillary's?

http://jada.ada.org/content/144/4/389.full.pdf+html#

^I wish I had access..

 

[Bobby Fischer]

For some reason, third molars are making headlines in the news today.

http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/201...kill-budding-wisdom-teeth-study-suggests?lite

"The team just looked at children being treated at Tufts, and they only have a few hundred records, so the findings would have to be repeated in a larger group of children to be sure. But they suggest it might be possible to apply an already widely used medication to prevent the development of a common tooth problem."

of course, thats not going to stop some typically mental lightweight reporter to dedicate an entire article writeup to the idea. I call science fiction and premature/ rash/ hasty jumping to conclusions. Reporters are generally about as smart as the average person on the street. Can't take them too seriously myself.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/03/17580165-24-year-old-dies-after-wisdom-teeth-surgery?lite

statistically insignificant. Sad, of course. Same as above though. Reporters and their ilk feed off of blowing exceptionally tragic circumstances out of proportion like this. its their bread and butter.

Somebody is going to win a multimillion dollar lottery everyday. Another individual is going to die in a freak accident. Shark bites, lightning. Individuals in their teens somewhat regularly keel over and die from heart failure during routine sports activities due to undiagnosed heart conditions. Why wouldn't it be plausible that a 24 year old might happen to have some preexisting undiagnosed heart or other condition which leads to death during what would have otherwise been an application of routine anesthesia ? There are 320+ million people in the United States. Odds are things like this are going to happen no doubt.

 

[NDPitch]

statistically insignificant. Sad, of course. Same as above though. Reporters and their ilk feed off of blowing exceptionally tragic circumstances out of proportion like this. its their bread and butter.

Somebody is going to win a multimillion dollar lottery everyday. Another individual is going to die in a freak accident. Shark bites, lightning. Individuals in their teens somewhat regularly keel over and die from heart failure during routine sports activities due to undiagnosed heart conditions. Why wouldn't it be plausible that a 24 year old might happen to have some preexisting undiagnosed heart or other condition which leads to death during what would have otherwise been an application of routine anesthesia ? There are 320+ million people in the United States. Odds are things like this are going to happen no doubt.

Agreed. So, if you were to catch the bad end of this deal as the oral surgeon, what does one do? Assuming you're protected from something like this (I'd assume they are via their insurance), couldn't your career still be ruined? The media just smeared your name all over the news and associated you with dying patients, so who from the general public is going to go to you anymore? US citizens are over-influenced by the media. I'm guessing you'd have to move to a new location, but even then I'm willing to bet an incident like that would never leave you. Word of mouth is powerful. I feel for this guy, I hope his career is okay!

 

[Bobby Fischer]

Agreed. So, if you were to catch the bad end of this deal as the oral surgeon, what does one do? Assuming you're protected from something like this (I'd assume they are via their insurance), couldn't your career still be ruined? The media just smeared your name all over the news and associated you with dying patients, so who from the general public is going to go to you anymore? US citizens are over-influenced by the media. I'm guessing you'd have to move to a new location, but even then I'm willing to bet an incident like that would never leave you. Word of mouth is powerful. I feel for this guy, I hope his career is okay!

Maybe this oral surgeon will just lose all the sorts of patients he wouldn't have wanted in the first place anyways 🙂

I am sure the local community of dentists are up to speed with the details of what happened, etc. If the oral surgeon didn't do anything amiss (probably not like that dude down in Texas? discovered this month who was using rusty instruments Harrington?) then he'll likely keep getting referrals (and that many less of the lawyer prone ones?)

Good honest hardworking ethical realistic folks out there who surely won't hold it against him (again assuming nothing was amiss) are still going to desperately need his skills.

Maybe the surgeon will slow down in business for a month or two...oh well, not like making 400 k this year instead of 450 k is going to do him in. Plus, maybe he'll have to be forced to spend more time on himself like golfing, fishing, boating or whatever.

If he didn't do anything wrong he'll be okay. Bad things happen to good people in this life.

 

[Muggsy Bogues]

.

 

[KittySquared]

Yes, and vaccination causes autism

Aaaaand I'm Kim Kardashian.

 

[Noble6]

Happened in Oklahoma, not Texas

Maybe this oral surgeon will just lose all the sorts of patients he wouldn't have wanted in the first place anyways 🙂

I am sure the local community of dentists are up to speed with the details of what happened, etc. If the oral surgeon didn't do anything amiss (probably not like that dude down in Texas? discovered this month who was using rusty instruments Harrington?) then he'll likely keep getting referrals (and that many less of the lawyer prone ones?)

Good honest hardworking ethical realistic folks out there who surely won't hold it against him (again assuming nothing was amiss) are still going to desperately need his skills.

Maybe the surgeon will slow down in business for a month or two...oh well, not like making 400 k this year instead of 450 k is going to do him in. Plus, maybe he'll have to be forced to spend more time on himself like golfing, fishing, boating or whatever.

If he didn't do anything wrong he'll be okay. Bad things happen to good people in this life.