Dr. Theodore J Grellner

Why Dr. Grellner? 
After removing thousands of wisdom teeth from patients aged teens to 100, and having given just as many general anesthetics, it is safe to say that Dr. Grellner is experienced.

In the past, when it came to wisdom teeth, it was considered by many to be a procedure that anyone with sufficient surgical training could complete.  But, like anything in life, a task can be completed by many but only performed WELL by a few.

This comes from his artistic background both as an artist in photography as well as music:  It is in the subtleties and details that one excels.  There is also intense satisfaction in being able to perform alongside the best in the orchestra, on a stage visible to many.

Years ago he believed too little attention was being paid to the rather mundane, everyday task of treating wisdom teeth.  As any other professional will attest, experience is Life's greatest teacher but the learning process and the will to improve must be fueled by curiosity.

…Over the years, his special interest in improving many aspects of the wisdom tooth experience have resulted in: 
- advising a better time to remove wisdom teeth 
- improving his surgical technique to reduce healing problems and discomfort afterwards 
- improving pain relief 
creating a more sophisticated general anesthetic technique  with greater control and safety, and shorter anesthetic recovery time. 

It is this last item, the sophisticated short-duration general anesthetic technique that he has refined, that is the best and most exciting anesthetic technique he has ever used, and he has used many over the years. 

It virtually eliminates many of the problems that have plagued oral surgeons over the years:
- an erratic, sometimes difficult-to-control anesthetic course
- prolonged recovery
- postop nausea
- prolonged effects of long-acting medications that persist long after discharge

Best of all, it allows an anxious teen (which most are) to be completely unaware of the procedure, followed by a very quick recovery to a much more clear state, safely without having to resort to:
- having the surgery done awake under local anesthesia only, or by
- being made sleepy by taking sleeping pills that take many hours to wear off, or
- "laughing gas" (nitrous oxide) that is ineffective for the truly anxious patient who wants no awareness of the procedure. 

After reading this, you should now appreciate the special emphasis that Dr. Grellner places on the treatment of wisdom teeth, especially in teenagers.

Of all the different areas of oral & maxillofacial surgery that he has been trained in, he enjoys wisdom tooth surgery and general anesthesia the most.

 Isn't another of Life's rules that...
... you do best what you enjoy most?