Ughthedentist,

I think there could be a few things going on based on your continued symptoms.

1) If you are grinding your teeth then you are likely to have various pain and discomfort in areas other than the extraction site. You should see your dentist to evaluate you for tmj problems. If this is what you have then he can make you a night guard that may be helpful.

2) A swollen lymph node can indicate infection. But sometimes it just takes time for the gland to go down after an infected tooth has been extracted. Is the gland tender to touch it?

3) The photo you posted indicates that you had a bad infection that had cause some of the bone to deteriorate. As the area heals the bone is going to recede. This will cause a shift in the way you are occluding your teeth together which may be why you are grinding your teeth.

4) Anytime there is a dry socket the area takes longer to heal. There is also a chance that there is a low grade infection which may be affecting the lymph node. Sometimes this needs treatment other times it doesn't. Your dentist can check your gland when he checks you for tmj.

BTW.... I received both of your private messages. I am sorry for the delay but as a volunteer on this site, I spend as much time here as I can... in between work, school, family .... etc. Sometimes I only have time to answer a question or two.

I hope this information was helpful to you. Hope you and your dentist are able to come up with a plan to help you feel better.