Hi! Well, I am still having these odd sensations near my wisdom tooth extraction site (upper left side). I am also having feeling of the molar below my last upper left molar (bottom left) like it is a bit achy or loose feeling.

The second tooth from the extraction site is a crowned tooth and that appears sensitive. My anxiety is through the roof on this and I am not sure what to do! It seems when I get anxious, it is worse.

I keep praying I will go a whole day without any "odd" teeth sensations but it appears that is not happening. I have been brushing and flossing my teeth more each day so maybe I am just irritating the heck out of my gums and mouth? I am also mid cycle so maybe hormones are affecting the gums? I am a almost 40 year old female and never had a tooth extracted before and now am sooooo doubting having this done by a dentist. I wish I would have gone to an oral surgeon. Maybe the outcome would have been different.

Any thoughts???

Kris,

The symptoms you are having on various teeth may be associated with clenching and/or grinding your teeth. This could also cause continued sensations in the area of the extraction.

It is unnecessary to brush or floss more than twice, three times maximum per day. You may be irritating your gums which again, would cause the symptoms you are describing.

Hormones definitely affect our gums, so yes, that could also be a contributing factor.

You have not yet stated one thing in any of your posts that would indicate a problem with the healing from the extraction.

I hope you can come to grips with the fact that it is going to take several weeks for the site to heal and that aggressive cleaning is not going to make it heal faster.

Bryanna

So right! I caught myself clenching due to my stress and my dentist has said in the past that my bite is off a bit from grinding.....he can see worn areas. Do you think it would be wise to get fitted now for a nightguard ($500.00) or wait until I am completely healed? Today is a good day! No soreness ANYWHERE!!
Stress is my issue.....I have a lot of it -- mostly self inflicted. Thanks for "putting" up with my posts Bryanna!! You are the best~

Hi Kris,

See that..... I must be clairvoyant ;-)

I think in about 2 weeks you should be good to be fitted for a nightguard. You could actually do it now, but knowing you.... it's probably best to wait a bit more for the site to close completely

I could write a book about self inflicted stress.... so I understand completely. I enjoy your posts.... so keep in touch!

Bryanna

Ahh.,.....you know me already all too well!! Yes, I better wait on the mouth guard. Question: Do you suggest a guard made from the dentist or one from a TMJ specialist? I am not saying I have TMJ, but I have been reading (you know me) about this and it seems that some sites suggest a TMJ specialist who does a special guard? I am not sure and just wondering your opinion.

No, stress is not good. I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my forehead in Sept this year and then this wisdom tooth (bad timing) and everything was just spiraling out of control (emotionally) so I think that is why I get myself so worried about this extraction and infection and healing and and and........

Too many "what ifs?"

Thanks~

Kris

I too prefer not to deal with more than one stressful issue at a time. Although, I deal with many simultaneously at work all of the time!! oye.... No wonder I come home and crash .............~~

I think you would be ok with your dentist making you a nightguard. The idea is to reduce the affects from your bruxing habit. So I would start there.

Have a nice weekend.... it's a beautiful sunny day here, hope it is by you too!

Bryanna

It is rainy and cloudy here!! I wish it was sunny......I love the sun.

Question: Do you run into many patients at your office like me or do you and the dentist explain things better? I mean, my dentist is acting like I am over reacting (which I kinda am) but that is because my dentist never explained anything to me. In fact, I was told I could go back to work the next day and not to worry and that is that. I know in the dentist's mind, this tooth fell out after it was loosened and it "appeared" to be a simple extraction but I know how I feel. So....just wondering....thanks!

Kris

Most dental patients are anxious to some degree. Some are scared beyond belief... some question every little thing.... some say they don't want to know anything and others like my husband....take a nap!!!

To the dentist or myself who has experienced your situation with thousands of patients, yes you could say that you are over reacting to what we consider simple. However, from your standpoint, simple means no problem... nada... zilch... so any sensations that you feel <must> mean something is wrong, even though it's normal. I try to prepare our patients ahead of time with as much or as little information as possible... depends on the complexity of the procedure and the patient.

I'd send you some sunshine but it's already getting dark

Have a good night!

Bryanna

Update.....

Bryanna! I am having more good hours than bad....more good days than bad. Anyway, it appears when I wake up in the morning is the best....until about lunchtime. After I eat is when I get a bit of discomfort in my teeth on the extraction site side, event though I do my best to keep the food on the opposite side. It is not a bad soreness but almost like my teeth are a bit achy.....and the one that seems to flair up the worst is a bottom molar that I had a filling in about a year ago. The other tooth that gives me some grief is an upper, not far from extraction site, molar that I had a cap put on several years back. So I am not sure if these two teeth are just more sensitive and are getting the "brunt" of my extraction site/teeth grinding healing process or what! I am going to not floss on that side for a few days to see if that calms things down. I am still doing the salt water rinses and feel ok....no fever, no severe pain, no pus at extraction site, no inflammation -- nothing that I can see. The site is still pretty pink but I can tell it is filling in. It will be 6 weeks on Monday!

Do you suggest I make an appt for tomorrow for the dentist to peek at it or possible take an x-ray or just keep calm and keep quiet and see how things progress for the next couple of days? I would "think" if I had an infection in the bone, I would know by now, is this correct? I just dont want to over look anything. Can an exray tell if there is an infection?

Thanks again!

Kris

Hi Kris,

It sounds like the extraction site is doing well and you have no reason to be concerned.

It is normal for other areas of your mouth to be sensitive or uncomfortable as you have described because... #1 you had surgery in your mouth that required the movement of jawbone and ligaments which share nerves that are connected to other areas of your mouth... #2 you are now chewing/hitting different areas of your existing teeth with the two lower molars missing.... #3 if you are clenching or grinding, since your bite has changed, you are gnawing on some teeth more so than you were before the extractions. Does this make sense to you? It should and perhaps it can relieve some of your concerns about what is normal.

You should definitely keep flossing all of your teeth. Do not stop doing that because it's important to keep your mouth clean. Plaque will build up quickly and cause unnecessary inflammation. So keep flossing!

I really don't see the need to visit your dentist, but of course that is up to you.

Bryanna







=KrisPPP;830558]Update.....

Bryanna! I am having more good hours than bad....more good days than bad. Anyway, it appears when I wake up in the morning is the best....until about lunchtime. After I eat is when I get a bit of discomfort in my teeth on the extraction site side, event though I do my best to keep the food on the opposite side. It is not a bad soreness but almost like my teeth are a bit achy.....and the one that seems to flair up the worst is a bottom molar that I had a filling in about a year ago. The other tooth that gives me some grief is an upper, not far from extraction site, molar that I had a cap put on several years back. So I am not sure if these two teeth are just more sensitive and are getting the "brunt" of my extraction site/teeth grinding healing process or what! I am going to not floss on that side for a few days to see if that calms things down. I am still doing the salt water rinses and feel ok....no fever, no severe pain, no pus at extraction site, no inflammation -- nothing that I can see. The site is still pretty pink but I can tell it is filling in. It will be 6 weeks on Monday!

Do you suggest I make an appt for tomorrow for the dentist to peek at it or possible take an x-ray or just keep calm and keep quiet and see how things progress for the next couple of days? I would "think" if I had an infection in the bone, I would know by now, is this correct? I just dont want to over look anything. Can an exray tell if there is an infection?

Thanks again!

Kris[/QUOTE]