I'm surprised and concerned that you think it might be bone related. I thought that the bone filling back in would be the opposite of what an infection would do (eat away bone). What's wrong with that line of thinking?

I do have periodontal disease. I have avoided seeking treatment because if what's leaking out of the side of the extraction site is some antibiotic-resistant infection, I don't want to introduce it into all those deep cracks. That may not be a valid reason, but that's why I've put off treating the periodontal disease. I want to take care of this leaky jaw problem first.

I have seen one periodontist and some oral surgeons. The sad truth is that no one wants to inherit my jaw. I know it's a major breach of ethics to leave a root tip in a patient's jaw without telling him. I've never seen a single source that says it's acceptable to leave an infected root tip in a patient. Also, the root tip was near the surface (maybe because he tried to get it out?), another reason *never* to leave it in.

No one wants to take over that mess. The leakage is at such a low level that they don't see it. Nor is there a well-defined fistula (at least that they admit to seeing). So doctors and dentists generally just say that they don't see what I'm talking about.

This dentist last August was an exception, but I didn't tell him about the root tip! I told him about others doubting my symptoms. He said that he never doubts a patient when they say they're draining.

I'm not missing any other teeth in the maxillary arch. I know I could get a bridge, and maybe I will. But the idea of messing up two more teeth isn't very appealing to me. I know it would be a lot less trouble for me in the long run.

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