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.