Today, many still undergo this procedure for legitimate reasons: ingrown or impacted wisdom teeth can lead to infections, tooth decay, and generally unpleasant levels of pain.
But a large percentage of patients choose to undergo this act of sawing, bleeding, and stitching merely as a precaution, often putting up more than $1,000 for the experience. This is not entirely surprising: America excels at ordering up unnecessary medical procedures. It’s an epidemic: By one count, Americans waste $750 billion a year on unproductive care, more than our nation’s entire budget for K–12 education.
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