Wisdom Teeth
IV SEDATION FOR WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL
ANYTHING ELSE IS NOT COMPARABLE.
IV sedation is the standard of care for reliably comfortable, pain-free removal of wisdom teeth. Any provider who has significant experience at removing wisdom teeth has had some form of IV sedation training, is ACLS certified, and has an IV sedation permit. Without these, it is unlikely they have much experience at removing a significant amount of wisdom teeth, removing complex full boney impacted wisdom teeth or can do it in a reasonable amount of chair time. No other form of sedation can provide the level of comfort for removal of wisdom teeth that IV sedation can provide -not laughing gas, not oral sedatives, or non-intravenous conscious sedation. At Story City Dental, we provide the highest level of IV sedation for wisdom tooth removal- IV Deep Sedation/General Anesthesia.
A WISDOM TOOTH REMOVAL EXPERIENCE THAT SURPASES OUR COMPETITION EVERYTIME IN COMFORT, EFFICIENCY, AND AFFORDABILITY.
Dr. Binkowski, part owner of Story City Dental, is also the owner of Iowa Wisdom Teeth, where he routinely removes an average of 150-180 wisdom teeth per week of all impaction types. This includes routine removal of complex full bony impactions. Dr. Binkowski has removed in excess of 45,000 wisdom teeth under IV sedation in his 13 years of practice and has referred out less than 50 patients for wisdom teeth (largely due to pathology, high risk of jaw fracture, or high risk of nerve damage). We provide the same level of IV sedation as all oral surgeon offices (Deep Sedation/General Anesthesia, ADA code: D9222). However, we have the benefit of an anesthesia provider with nearly 20 years of experience in hospital and outpatient anesthesia affording us a wider safety margin. Our patient have also never woken up mid-surgery. We do all the same impaction types that oral surgeons do at a much more affordable rate. In fact, the most we charge is $2500 for 4 wisdom teeth including the IV sedation, and we are in network with Delta Dental and United Health Care at our Story City office.
If you are a patient between the ages of 14 and 25 years old, 95% of the time we only need 12-15 minutes of sedation time to remove 4 wisdom teeth regardless of the impaction type. Simply send us an Xray image (pano), your insurance information, and complete the online pre-op paperwork, and we can schedule you directly for surgery (pre-op consult is not necessary). After completion of the surgery, we will send a copy of the surgery and anesthesia notes to the dental office you are normally seen at.
HOW MANY WISDOM TEETH HAVE YOU REMOVED?
Since 2011, Dr. Binkowski has removed over 45,000 wisdom teeth. In 2023, we removed over 6,500. In 2024, as of August 1st, Dr. Binkowski has removed a little over 4300, with 1926 of these being full bony impacted (ADA code: D7240), all under IV sedation.
WHAT IS PRF?
PRF stands for platelet rich fibrin (ADA code: D7921). We use it to prevent dry sockets. It is generated from the blood we draw off during the IV start. By spinning it at a certain speed for a certain amount of time in our centrifuges, it removes all the red blood cells and concentrates the clotting elements by 4 fold and the immune cells into that layer. It is placed in the lower wisdom teeth extraction sockets and stitched shut. This is why we have not seen a dry-socket in 4 years. PRF also accelerates the initial healing phase of the socket for the first week of healing. And at times we use it to repair a sinus perforation (extremely rare).
DOES EVERYONE HAVE 4 WISDOM TEETH?
No, most people have 4, but we have removed as many as 8!
WHAT TYPE OF CASES DO YOU DO?
- Simple (ADA code: D7140)
- Surgical (ADA code: D7210)
- Tissue Impacted (ADA code: D7220)
- Bone Impacted (ADA code: D7230, D7240, D7241*)
(*we never use this code as dental insurance rarely pays for it)
WHO DOES THE ANESTHESIA—IS IT SAFE?
Dan Lenz, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, will administer all the anesthesia and constantly monitor you or your child at all times. Dan has nearly 20 years of anesthesia experience, with over 15,000 hospital intubations and over 3,000 wisdom tooth sedations with Dr. Binkowski. Unlike at an oral surgery office, the surgery and anesthesia jobs are separate in our office, increasing the margin for safety. This allows Dr. Binkowski to solely focus on the surgery and Dan to focus on ensuring you or your child remains asleep and safe for the duration of the surgery. All of our dental assistants are ACLS certified as well.
HOW LONG DOES THE PROCEDURE TAKE?
For wisdom teeth, most patients are only in the office 45-50 minutes- this includes recovery time. The ‘procedure time’- the time it takes to get the 4 wisdom teeth out while you are asleep is usually around 12-15 minutes (total) for 4 full bony impactions. This is why we generally only code out a single 15 minute unit of sedation (D9222) for wisdom teeth.
WHAT IF I AM NEEDLE PHOBIC AND CAN’T HANDLE AN IV START?
Please let us know if you have a needle phobia (even the slightest) and don’t think you can handle an IV being started. We can either prescribe you an oral sedative to take 60 minutes before you arrive, or arrive early and we can provide oral versed in office.
I’M A HARD STICK; WHAT IF YOU CAN’T FIND A VEIN TO START AN IV?
While this has only happened a handful of times in the last 13 years, our office has a portable ultrasound that Dan uses to find a vein in the event that we have issues finding one.
WHAT IS THE ADA CODE ASSOCIATED WITH THE IV SEDATION YOU PROVIDE?
ADA code D9222: 1st 15 minutes of IV deep sedation / general anesthesia
ADA code D9223: additional 15 minutes of IV deep sedation / general anesthesia*
(*only used if the procedure time runs over 23 minutes)
Day of Surgery
WISDOM TEETH SURGERY INFORMATION
One of our skilled, ACLS certified dental assistants will take you back to one of our treatment rooms where you will meet Dan Lenz, our CRNA. Dan will start an IV in your arm and draw off about 20mL of blood. We use this to create Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF)* by spinning it in a centrifuge to concentrate it and remove the red blood cells (used to prevent dry sockets). Through the IV, the CRNA will administer all medications that will cause you to essentially fall asleep. Once you are asleep, we will numb your mouth, remove your wisdom teeth, and place PRF to aid in healing. Once the surgery is complete, patients tend to wake up within 2-10min with no pain or memory of the procedure.
*See FAQ above for more information about PRF.
We provide second opinions
Removal of Wisdom Teeth can be expensive, especially if you were referred to an Oral Surgeon and they are not a network provider for your dental insurance. We provide the exact same service (surgery and level of sedation) at a much more affordable price. Whether you have dental insurance, a Health Savings Account, or are looking for the most affordable option, for a small difference in cost you can receive the best care.
If you have a copy of your Panoramic Xray image (Jpeg), basic demographic information and insurance information, click the ‘cost estimate’ button below and we can email you a quote.
Looking for a Deal?
Check out our specials we periodically run on wisdom tooth removal that are likely more affordable than any other option in the state.