Hi all!!!

I've been reading posts here for a while, and really appreciate Bryanna.
Indirectly, you've helped me become much more knowledgeable about the dental paradigm.
I hope anyone with any input feels free to answer this thread but obviously I will patiently await a reply from you.

I found this site as a psych. tool but in the end it's one of the better dental forums around too.

Sooo, here's my story!!

About the extraction/bone graft.
Two months back I had the top back molar removed on the right side, and bone graft material was placed immediately.
The tooth had been a problem for some time, failed past work.
I was holding out to see my fairly young modern dentist in Europe for treatment, she's been in the process of removing my amalgam fillings.... but it got so bad I just had to get it taken out. I thought I'd be done with it then, relieved and happy....

Unfortunately the past two months have been really rough.
Three cycles of antibiotics- Augmentin twice.
Pain killers
Benzos for jaw muscle tightness.
The right side of my face has been swollen and still is, including puffiness above and below my eye. It almost looks like I have a lazy eye... I even went and looked at pictures prior to make sure my eye wasn't always lazy and i blocked it out or something.

The extraction went smooth, took less than 5 minutes, doc said it was clean and free of infection and stuffed it full of bony fragments.
All this time I've thought that there is an infection in the bone graft, it really seems that way, with the dull pain coming from the area and even sometimes these flutters of sharp pain.

So I've been back to my oral surgeon a few times, hence the continual pharmaceutical dosing. He says it looks really good, i'm healing well and X-rays show nothing. He made me block my nose and blow, squeezed the area for puss, the standard.

Next I went to see an ENT doctor to address the sinus swelling and pressure directly. More anti-biotics and proposed sinus surgery.... Though I've never had problems like this before. All this after looking up my nose with a flashlight and saying he didn't see much blockage but it must all be in the lower area.....
At this point I'm thinking.. holy crap, I'm in some gauntlet, I really don't want to go under the knife unnecessarily. Do all ENT doctors go straight for the surgery?

Soo, today I got another opinion from a second oral surgeon who did a dental CT scan for me, but still no signs of infection. He pressed all over my jaw for puss or bleeding but nothing....
But atleast he took a good look and showed me my sinus cavity and showed how there really isn't much mucous there at all, even in the area below the eye. So I guess the antibiotics worked.... but what about the swelling? And do I actually need nasal surgery?

Now I'm at home in the evening and the pain is back, from deep in the socket area..... sigh.... and my face is still swollen, my right eyebrow seems to sag a bit and under my eye is obviously puffy.... two months like this.
I refuse to take any more pills because they completely disconnect me from reality, and I hate knowing its just a bandade and I'm only ignoring something I shouldn't.
But each night that I don't take any pain killers/anti-inflamatories I end up with severe pressure and pain all the way up to my temple and then the heavy headache ensues.

So my question in regards to this....

Is it possible for the x-ray and CT scan and two oral surgeons to all miss the infection and its buried inside somewhere? and perhaps even the antibiotics have supressed it enough so its not seen?
Or am I just crazy?
If you don't think I'm crazy... do you have any doc./oral surgeon recommendation in the New York, New England area? Someone who'd be willing to take a look inside?
Or once again, am I just crazy?
There are times where I wish I could just pick the junk out of there.... to me it seems like a sign of infection... that I want to pick at it two months in. No worries, I haven't. Been diligent in all ways. Good hygiene, even quit smoking... was saving that for the last and only good news in this thread.

So in summary, 2 months, 1 dentist, 2 oral surgeons, 1 ENT doc., x-rays and CT-scan all done and done. Still no sign of infection at graft site, no perforation of sinus, its all "healed", but still hurts right at the site and side of face is still swollen. what gives?

Concerning Root Canal
Related to the above, kinda...

My new GP dentist has told me that my upper #5 pre-molar has got a bad cavity and needs a root canal. And says that the facial swelling could be associated to that since its on the same side and touches the sinus cavity.
But this tooth has caused me no pain and doesn't have an obvious cavity since it was filled a few years back.

Could this tooth really be the problem that has caused the swelling, pain and perpetual headaches, even though I haven't had any pain coming from it directly?
And if so does a tooth that doesn't hurt need a root canal? It seems a bit excessive, and could once again be a deflection from the real problem.

I'm truly concerned with this one since it's actually a tooth that shows up in your smile. Do I want a root canal here? I certainly don't want to extract this tooth cuz then the rest will start moving.

Also I know that you advocate against root canal and I follow your reasoning. I also believe in the connection of things and can't see how a dead tooth can exist in live bone for a long time without causing problems.
And more than once have noticed that I feel tired and sick in general whenever I have tooth problems.

So knowing that, and considering a bridge would ruin two more teeth, what are my alternatives to root canal on a tooth like a 5 or 6? Other than an implant that is, cuz I truly can't afford that and am afraid of the potential complications, that seem like they could be severe.

Thank you for reading all of this, I realize its messy, long and a bit scattered the way my brain is after this whole ordeal.

I'm glad to finally be a part of the community here officially and promise to contribute.

Good luck to all that read this and hope everyone gets better soon.
ANd once again thank you Bryanna, I appreciate all your posts and replies. You are right we all need to make our own conscious choices when it comes to medical practitioners and always ask questions and provide as much info as possible. Though they may have your best interest in mind, everyone, even doctors, are bound by human error.

My two cents
And of course since medicine is a business there is money in keeping us sick and just treating symptoms. All the proof is in watching how much the DSM grows from edition to edition.

All the best,
Nick