Originally Posted by Bryanna

Grace,

I feel so bad for you and agree you have not been treated fairly. Chances are your message was not conveyed to the dentist as you would have liked it to be. The person that you spoke to should not have been the go between. So that dentist may not even know what has happened exactly. This situation can create miscommunication between your new dentist and the original dentist if the new one calls him and he doesn't have the correct information. Do you see what I'm saying?

I will try to answer your questions... in bold type.

1) From the two X-rays that I posted for 14#, how can I tell the tooth was very infected before the extraction (with a cysts?)? So when I am meeting with a new dentist/oral surgeon, I have a better idea/judgement. I can not be be fooled/abused anymore.

THE INFECTION WAS EVIDENT ON THE XRAY. THERE WERE AREAS THAT APPEARED TO BE CYSTIC. A EXPERIENCED EYE CAN SEE THOSE THINGS. THE ORAL SURGEON WHO REMOVED THE TOOTH MAY NOT ADMIT WITH THOSE THINGS BECAUSE HE WAS LAX WITH THE SURGERY AS HE TOLD YOU HE DID NOT DEBRIDE THE SOCKET. SO HE MAY WANT TO COVER UP FOR THAT TO SOMEONE WHO QUESTIONS HIM. A "GENERAL DENTIST" MAY NOT VIEW THIS TOOTH SITUATION AS BEING A PROBLEM BECAUSE MOST CONVENTIONAL DENTISTS DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE SEVERITY OF TOOTH INFECTIONS. ORAL SURGEONS TEND TO LOOK AT THIS DIFFERENTLY AS IT IS THERE JOB TO REMOVE THESE MESSES!

2) If an oral surgeon does Not see a sinus perforation after the extraction, does it mean there is no sinus perforation?

NO, NOT NECESSARILY. NOT ALL SINUS PERFS ARE VISIBLE. REMEMBER I WROTE ABOUT THE ORAL SURGEON BEING ABLE TO SEE OR FEEL THE PERF (IF THERE WAS ONE) IF HE HAD DEBRIDED THE SOCKET? UNLESS THE PERF IS LARGE OR IS PICKED UP ON THE XRAY, IT MAY NOT BE VISIBLE TO THE EYE... BUT IT CAN BE FELT DURING THE DEBRIDEMENT AFTER THE TOOTH IS REMOVED. HAVE I EXPLAINED THAT CLEAR ENOUGH?

3) A sinus perforation can be spotted by an OS Only if he debride the socket after the extraction. Is that true?

NO, NOT NECESSARILY. DEPENDS ON HOW LARGE A PERF IT IS AND THE LOCATION OF IT.

4) If I take new x-rays, what indications should I look for in order to tell the infection in the bone/surrounding tissues?

YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO READ NEW XRAYS YOURSELF. IT TAKES A TRAINED EYE TO SEE PATHOLOGY ON AN XRAY. HOWEVER, NEW XRAYS MAY SHOW (TO THE OS) A RESIDUAL INFECTION STILL BREWING.... A SINUS PERF.....THE PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT STILL SITTING THERE... UNHEALTHY BONE STILL PRESENT.

5) What images/tests will you recommend for sinus infection since I will be meeting with an ENT?

SCANS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DENTALLY FORMATTED WOULD BE ADVISABLE. THE ENT WOULD BE THE ONE TO DETERMINE WHICH ONE WAS BEST IN YOUR CASE.

Bryanna