Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryanna
Hi KathyJ,
Okay without a picture I have to go by your description only.
If you have a string of suture hanging very low and you can get in their with small scissors, then clip it but stay away from the gum. Clip it just enough to stop it from hanging so low.
Your description of the wad of suture knots indicates that the surgeon had some difficulty suturing that tissue closed. Do not cut into those knots as they are most likely connected to a long line of sutures holding another area closed.
The white that you see could be bone, debris, or the formation of the clot, sort of like a scab. Don't try to remove it. Just rinse with warm salt water as instructed by the surgeon. Not all extraction sites need to be closed over with sutures and as long as the surgeon has gotten primary closure, the wound will heal.
Unless you develop pain, swelling or symptoms of an infection, it sounds like you are healing okay.
In case you have not been informed it is very important to know that your root canaled tooth #14, like all root canaled teeth, is not healthy. RC teeth will always contain necrotic nerve tissue inside of the microscopic canals which causes the tooth to be chronically inflamed and infected. This causes unfavorable changes to occur in the surrounding bone and beyond. Eventually the bacteria also proliferates to the adjacent teeth and bone. The loss of bone that you had around the buccal (cheek) portion of tooth #15 may be correlated with the bacteria coming from tooth #14. So considering this ongoing bacterial problem, it is always risky to put a dental implant next to a root canaled tooth.
I hope this information is helpful to you.
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Thank you for such a speedy response Bryanna. I'm not in any pain that an occasional ibuprofen can't address and that is only an occasional need. I've continued to rinse with warm salt water and yesterday he told me to gently rinse with chlorhexidine, so I'm doing that at bedtime. If the white patch that is exposed seems to get larger rather than smaller, should that be a concern?
I'm afraid to use a small scissors to cut the suture that is hanging down.
As to your advice about tooth 14, that is a whole other issue that I don't know if I can focus on it now, but perhaps I should. This is the first I've heard of this when I started reading this website. Oh my gosh! If this is true, why are root canals done? Why would they be accepted dental practice? Why would an oral surgeon - or dentist - not bring this up? Just last year, I spent lots on tooth 14 for a root canal and crown. I'm somewhat overwhelmed by what I've read on this site about root canals. Are there other links or sources you could refer me to so that I may learn more about the toxic nature of a root canal? Is this fact??