Wisdom teeth extraction is almost a rite of passage for patients ending their teens and entering into their 20s. In general, it is an extremely common and safe procedure for the majority of people who undertake it, but sometimes things go wrong. Sometimes patients have serious complications “in the chair.” While these complications are rare, they still may happen.

• Some patients have complications from anesthesia. These patients might have a heart attack or a stroke.
• Nerve damage to the lingual nerve can result in permanent loss of taste, numbness or other issues related to speech.
• Permanent numbness in the tongue, cheek or lips can occur.
• Damage to the jawbone may result from accessing the impacted wisdom tooth.

Some patients are more prone to problems with anesthesia than others. Patients with a history of heart problems, seizures or issues with anesthesia should work carefully with their oral surgeon to determine what risks exist and how to combat them.

If you or someone you love is facing wisdom tooth extraction, talk to your oral surgeon today. Find out what plans are in place to treat any patient undergoing a health emergency while undergoing wisdom tooth extraction. Who will be administering the anesthesia? Who will monitor it during the procedure? What hospital has a relationship with this office in case of an emergency? What experience does the oral surgeon’s team have with responding to patients in severe distress? If the patient stops breathing, who will administer CPR or a breathing tube?

You have the right to get answers to all of your questions before surgery. If you aren’t satisfied with the answers, or you feel “brushed off” or disregarded in any way, it’s okay to listen to your instincts and postpone the procedure until you feel more confident in your oral surgery team.