Hi Laurel,
I am in the dental profession and I volunteer on this site when I have time. When someone posts a long thread like yours, it takes time to go through it and sort through the dental facts from the emotional ones. I'm sure you are upset about your dental problems and I will try to offer you some information.
I'm re posting a portion of your initial thread ABOUT TOOTH #14 (UL FIRST MOLAR) because it may help you understand the initial problem .... I have responded in bold type:
<<<August, 2013
*Saw oral surgeon, said I had to wait for dead tissue to “slough off” before it could be properly assessed.
*Eating, talking and general life was painful
*Tissue finally fell out (gross!!). Another phone picture revealed that tissue had rotted clear down to the bone. I had root and palate exposed.
*Oral Surgeon confirmed this as well as noted that there was already bone loss and may not have enough gum to even support the tooth. Also advised that we had to wait and see how my body would heal itself prior to looking at options
<<<*Mouth started shooting bits of bone out of the roof of my mouth and gums>>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY THIS STATEMENT.
BASED ON THE REST OF YOUR DESCRIPTION OF THE DEAD TISSUE, THE PAIN AND EXPOSURE OF ROOT,...... THIS WAS MOST LIKELY INDICATIVE OF A LONG STANDING PROBLEM IN THAT AREA THAT WAS EXACERBATED BY THE TOOTH BEING ROOT CANALED AS INFLAMMATION AND BACTERIA RUN RAMPANT IN A TOOTH THAT IS BEING ROOT CANALED. IT'S LIKE PUTTING GASOLINE ON A FIRE. THE OS WAS CORRECT IN THAT HE HAD NO IDEA HOW THIS SITE WOULD HEAL AFTER THIS TOOTH WAS REMOVED DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THE INFECTION AND THE BONE LOSS.
Regarding your tooth problem on the LR side.....
<<Questions
<<• How the heck does a tooth die off that quick? How does one practitioner say it is alive and another seems to think it is dead?>>
TEETH DIE FOR VARIOUS REASONS. IF A TOOTH IS CRACKED, BACTERIA CONTINUALLY CREEPS IN SLOWING DECAYING THE TOOTH INSIDE. AS THIS OCCURS THE NERVE CAN BECOME INFECTED AND DIE.
WHEN A TOOTH IS ROOT CANALED, THE NERVE TISSUE INSIDE OF THE TINY CANALS BECOMES STARVED OF BLOOD AND DIES OFF VERY QUICKLY.
RE THE DIFFERENT OPiNIONS ..... IT IS COMMON FOR DENTISTS TO DISAGREE ON A DIAGNOSIS. SOME ARE JUST BETTER AT IT THAN OTHERS. IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME WHEN A DENTIST HAS DIFFICULTY READING A DENTAL X-RAY.... BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY :/
THE CHRONIC LUMP IN YOUR JAW IS INDICATING AN INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE IS OCCURRING AND ALTHOUGH THERE SEEMS TO BE NO INFECTION RADIO-GRAPHICALLY, THERE IS PHYSICAL PATHOLOGY... THE LUMP. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY SHOW UP ON THE X-RAYS AND IT MAY BE VERY PROGRESSIVE WHEN IT DOES.
<<• It doesn’t hurt right now, what would happen if I just left it for a while?>>
YOU WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY END UP WITH A MASSIVE INFECTION AND SEVERE BONE LOSS. IT COULD COMPROMISE ALL OF THE TEETH IN THAT QUADRANT. THE PAIN DISSIPATES BECAUSE THE BACTERIA IS FINDING CREVICES TO MOVE INTO WHICH REDUCES THE PRESSURE.... RESULT IS LESS PAIN FOR NOW. BUT THE FURTHER THE BACTERIA MOVES, THE MORE ADVANCED THE PROBLEM BECOMES.
<< It isn’t a case of not having money (I have insurance) but I need a break!! I need to eat. I have dropped to 115 lbs. from all this face crap.>>
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS INFECTION HAS BEEN LONG STANDING. BACTERIA IS BUILDING UP IN THAT AREA AND YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS TRYING TO DEAL WITH IT.
<<• If I go ahead with extraction, what do they do with my jaw? The bump of pus…..the thought of it makes me wretch LOL!>>
THE AREA MAY NEED TO BE SURGICALLY DRAINED PRIOR TO THE EXTRACTION TO RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURE FROM THE INFECTION. THE EXTRACTION TOOTH WOULD BE A SURGICAL REMOVAL OF THE TOOTH, THE PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT AND ANY NECROTIC TISSUE AND BONE. DEPENDING ON HOW ADVANCED THE INFECTION IS, A DRAIN MAY BE PLACED TEMPORARILY OR THE AREA MAY NEED TO REMAIN OPEN FOR A SHORT TIME. IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT THE OS FINDS AT THE INITIAL SURGERY. THE BUMP OF PUS IS VERY GROSS AND SURELY YOU CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CANNOT BE LEFT THERE FOR MUCH LONGER.
<<* The necrotic tissue, why?>>
I AM ASSUMING YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TOOTH #14 THE UL MOLAR?
THE TISSUE DIES WHEN THE BLOOD SUPPLY IS CUT OFF. YOU HAD AN INFECTION BREWING THERE AND THEN HAD THE RC DONE. ISCHEMIA SET IN FROM THE INFECTION AND THE TISSUE BECAME OVERWHELMED WITH BACTERIA.
<<Epinephrine od?>> AGAIN #14?
I DON'T THINK THAT IS LIKELY IN THIS CASE. ALTHOUGH IT COULD HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE DEMISE OF THE TISSUE.
<< Pulp devitalizer sashed in my mouth?>> #14?
ALL ROOT CANALS DEVITALZE THE PULP.
VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU HAD TOOTH #14 REMOVED AND THAT IT IS HEALING OKAY. I AM NOT SURPRISED THAT YOU NOW HAVE BONE LOSS ON THE ADJACENT TOOTH. IF YOU COULD POST AN XRAY THAT WOULD BE GREAT!
Bryanna