This is quite a mess.

To recap the saga so far...

Act I, Scene I: I have a wisdom tooth removed last June up in Portland, Oregon where I was spending the summer (I work in Northern CA during the school year).

Act I, Scene II: I develop an infection two weeks later, which is lanced by the OS who performed the aforementioned extraction. No major problems ensue.

Intermission: I return to Arcata CA (roughly 500 miles south of Portland) for the beginning of the school year.

Act II, Scene I: Two weeks ago, I schedule a cleaning with my local dentist and also have them look at my cheek/jaw which was starting to hurt, especially after chewing. The feeling is a bit like when I was infected, but without the swelling or other telltale symptoms. My dentist tells me he suspects there is some scar tissue that might need be removed and suggests I call the OS in Portland who did my extraction.

Act II, Scene II: A day later my jaw starts to hurt MUCH worse after chewing anything remotely "chewy". I become concerned, and call the aforementioned OS, but am only able to speak with his secretary. Eventually, she calls back with a prescription for a large amount of antibiotics.

Act II, Scene III: I try and find some way to verify that I have an infection that merits said antibiotics - first, I try and make an appointment with my local OS, but cannot be seen there until mid-October. I then try an open-door clinic, but they refer me back to my dentist.

Act II, Scene IV (today): I return to my local dentist, trying to explain my situation. He is annoyed and lectures me about having gone to a remote OS for the original extraction and the ensuing complications of said decision. He stands by his assertion that there is no infection, but is unwilling/unable to to perform a blood test or any other concrete procedure to verify his opinion other than to assert that there's no swelling, temperature, or any other physical sign in my mouth to suggest an infection. He does urge me to see the OS in Portland to treat the scar tissue and in the meantime tells me that I should not take the antibiotics and prescribes Motrin instead.

I've no idea what to do now. If it is an infection (which at this point I frankly doubt) I should act quickly, but it's proving difficult to find anyone willing to do a simple blood or X-ray test to confirm it. I'll probably call the OS in Portland and try and find a way up there (which isn't a simple trek, as I don't own a car and there's no longer any direct flights) but in the meantime I'm wondering if an ER has, by default, become my court of last resort.

Anyhow, I'm going to see where I can find sugarless/sweetenerless/fruitless yogurt to match my fruitless attempts at diagnosing this increasingly unpleasant condition. Thanks again, both of you guys, for all your help.

Sincerely,

- John