Health risks of third molars (wisdom teeth)
In a previous blog post I reviewed the recent findings of epidemiologic studies related to third molars (wisdom teeth) and health complications. Research has shown connections between inflammed third molar teeth and pregnancy, diabetes and arterial disease complications.
The American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) convened a multidisciplinary conference on Third Molar Science in Washington DC last October. The following report excerpt is from AAOMS TODAY.
"The invitation-only audience was composed of representatives from dental, governmental and third party organizations with the greatest stake in knowing the facts about third molar pathology and the systemic implications for patients. An expert panel presented the latest fiindings on third molar extraction, retention, surveillance and costs, including the incidence and experience of patients in Canada, Finland and the United Kingdom."
"Findings of the AAOMS Third Molar Clinical Trials continue to show...the local and systemic health implications of asymptomatic wisdom teeth are far broader than previously thought, which makes earlier and frequent surveillance of retained third molars more critical."
"Additional key findings include:
- 80 % of young adult subjects who retained previously healthy wisdom teeth had developed problems within seven years.
- Monitoring retained wisdom teeth over a lifetime may be more expensive than extraction.
- Most patients (60 %) with asymptomatic wisdom teeth prefer extraction to retention.
- Retaining wisdom teeth can increase the risk for broader conditions, including preterm birth and cardiiovascular disease."
An audio recording of the press conference highlighting the findings is available in the media section of the AAOMS website, aaoms.org.
Dr. Panek