Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryanna
Hi adimaria,
I know you are terribly concerned about the possibility of having this problem. I can tell you from my professional experience (30+ yrs in dentistry) that only a fraction of dentists (compared to the number of dentists in the US) can recognize NICO on a radiograph. If a patient presents with a massive radiographic area in their jawbone, then any dentist will diagnose the obvious. I know this sounds bizarre but it's true. I think to some degree that since many dentists have never treated NICO, they don't know how to recognize it radiographically. For those who have treated it, they know what to look for on the radiographs.
The things that the holistic dentist told you are very accurate. There could be a small necrotic area in the jawbone that was caused by the infection (dry socket) after the removal of the wisdom tooth. There is no definitive way to know if it is NICO unless it is surgically opened. Necrotic bone looks very different than normal healthy bone but necrotic bone can also be microscopic in some areas which are not visible to the eye. During the surgery, she would take some bone and tissue for a biopsy which would help determine the pathology present in that area.
The decision to do the surgery or not is a tough one because:
1) If you have NICO and do nothing, it can spread.
2) If you do the surgery and have NICO and she cannot remove it all (for any number of reasons) you are still left with the problem and treatment options would be discussed.
3) If you do the surgery and no NICO is found, you had the procedure for nothing.
If the dentist were to see that she was close to the mandibular canal (nerves) during the surgery, she would back off before entering the canal. However, any lower posterior oral surgery can irritate the nerves in that canal.
So, this is definitely a troublesome issue without any question. NICO is very difficult to diagnose definitively radiographically. Here is a website with some interesting information about how this is diagnosed, treated, etc. I'm giving it to you for informational purposes only as it really spells it out pretty well.
http://www.fosamaxjawdeath.com/lawye...formation.html
I wish I could be of better help to you..... please keep in touch here.
Bryanna |
Thanks for responding. If in fact it is NICO, would the Gabapentin have helped? In addition, she said she wouldn't do the surgery. She referred me to Dr. Shankland that is based out of Ohio and I saw that he was considered a quack and on suspension for 5 years. This is why I feel so confused. I have 2 possible diagnosis. Both terrible...ATN or NICO. No one knows the exact source, both are dangerous to investigate and attempt surgeries etc. I wish I could find a Dentist, Oral Surgeon that is competent or has knowledge of both. Perhaps, he could steer me in the right direction. The holistic dentist wants me to have a 3-D scan I believe.
I also have another question. I was told that the trigeminal nerve endings are underneath the teeth. Is this correct? If so, what happens if I have another tooth that has problems that the dentist can't see. I was told there is slight decay under another tooth. Could this cause additional problems if it is ATN. And if the drill can irritate the nerve affecting the trigeminal nerve. Why doesn't this affect all of us at some point. Thanks again for your response.