Parminides,
Thanks again for posting the xrays.
The two dark "Mt Everest" lines are an artifact indicating the film may have been bent during the exposure. It is not your anatomy
Yea, I think there is something brewing in the upper front quadrant of your mouth. Tooth #9 appears to have a cavity on the distal portion of the root surface. The root of this tooth is also misshapen indicating bacteria and/or lack of vitality.
The lack of bone regeneration is caused by the chronic bacteria that is still residing in the bone not just from the previously abscessed #8 but from your periodontal disease as well. In addition to that the adjacent teeth do not appear to be healthy which is also preventing the #8 site from heal properly.
The more xrays you post here the more obvious it becomes that your periodontal disease is not under control. I don't mean to sound so "dire"... I am just telling you as I see it. I am puzzled as to why a dentist has not informed you of the things that I have.... especially since it seems that you have seen various dentists. Or have you been informed and perhaps don't believe it or it scares you or......??
I can see without a doubt that tooth #8 was infected for quite some time. Whether you had symptoms or not, a tooth does not become that abscessed unless it has been brewing for possibly a few years or more.
If I had to prioritize I would say that your biggest dental problem is your periodontal disease..... second the infected teeth that you may have which need a clear diagnosis ...and third the generalized bone loss. The xrays indicate you have deep pocketing and/or various areas of gum recession.
What are your thoughts about the periodontal disease?
Also you asked me awhile back about oil pulling....
This is an ancient therapeutic method used to keep healthy gums healthy. It can also be beneficial in those with periodontal disease but cannot take the place of proper periodontal therapy or professional cleanings.
A simple version of this is.... place one tablespoon of melted coconut oil in your mouth and move it around coating your entire mouth, teeth and gums. Do this for at least 1-2 minutes or longer. Then spit it out. You can brush afterwards.
Bryanna
Quote:
Originally Posted by parminides
Thanks for continuing to answer my questions. I really appreciate it.
I provided a side-by-side comparison of 3 xrays showing #8. The leftmost one was taken in May 2012, about a week after #19 had been pulled. (What in the world are those two dark, slanted lines at the top that seem to outline a small-scale version of Mt. Everest in my mouth?) The middle xray is from Aug 2012 and the last one is from Aug 2013.
After comparing them side-by-side myself for the first time this morning, I'm disappointed that there seems to be little if any bone regeneration since #8 was yanked.
I knew that the bone loss around #8 had endangered the adjacent teeth, but no one made it sound as dire as you do. The first oral surgeon thought an implant was possible if I had bone and soft tissue grafting when #8 was pulled, and possibly secondary grafting before the implant.
Another oral surgeon pulled #8 in Sep 2012. His records state that "Foundation graft placed 4-0 chromic gut." I'm almost certain that he didn't do a soft tissue graft.
What do you think needs to be done about the #8 vicinity after learning some more history and seeing a couple of more xrays?
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