Thanks again. I am having the consult today but another question. Is extraction of 11 painful? I have heard that it's the toughest tooth to pull although my dentist said the root doesn't look as long as most. I am asking because even though I have been awake for the last 3 extractions which took about 2 minutes, this scares me and maybe I'd be better off with iv sedation. What has your experience been with your patients? How long does it usually take and do you feel any pain? Another question is can the resorption on the wisdom tooth just stay that way forever and never need to come out? Third questions, what do they give you to temporarily put in the place of a tooth like 11 that shows, while you're healing and have to go outside and not look like a jack-o-lantern :-(
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Originally Posted by Bryanna
Hi Sandy,
Your tooth problem with #11 is very typical with root canaled teeth and it is referred to as a perio/endo infection. Our body has a way of trying to rid itself of irritants and it does so by causing an inflammation to occur. In your case, your tooth is the irritant and the opening of the gum pocket is your body trying to get rid of it. Infectious bacteria set up house in the pocket because it's warm, moist and dark. Irrelevant of how many times your periodontist opens this up, or how many antibiotics you take, you will continue to have an infection because the tooth is not healthy and the body will continue to try to get rid of it. This type of chronic infection will spread to other teeth and other areas under the gum so long as the irritant, the tooth, is present. This is a situation where the tooth should come out sooner than later. Every time it develops a fistula (bump on the gum) more of the bone has become involved as the bacteria has tunneled through the bone trying to let off some pressure. This is not a healthy condition for your overall well being.
I know all the tactics that are used to pinpoint the origin of the infection with the gutta percha and flapping open the gum tissue looking for a crack in the tooth.......... there may or may not be a crack but in this situation it is simply an infected tooth irritating the bone and gum tissue.
Your impacted lower wisdom tooth........ unless you have pain or there is cyst or area of infection on the radiograph, you probably could leave this alone for now. However, you may want to inquire if this tooth is in any way negatively affecting the molar in front of it. Is it pressing up against the molar causing a periodontal pocket? If it is, then you may want to ask how they would proceed with removing it.
I know none of this is pleasant......... far from it!!! I would address tooth #11 ASAP because it can slow down the healing of the other surgery that you had because there is a chronic infection there taxing your immune system.
I know you are very worried and that is understandable. I think if you keep pushing forward dealing with one issue at a time, you will get through this quicker than you imagine and you will be ok!!!
Please continue to keep us in the loop ~'.'~
Bryanna
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