[Vowel Lady]

Bryanna...you've used the word "profuse" when referring to jaw bone infections, even after a tooth has been extracted. Are there always symptoms associated with jaw bone infections? What are they? Can they be corrected? Is this what might or is likely to be caused by root canals?

Thank you.

[Bryanna]

Hi Vowel Lady,

When making reference to jaw bone infections and using the word "profuse" it refers to the bacteria being in abundance (which can be microscopic) and is freely flowing through the bone, the vessels, the tissue and beyond.

Oral infections are complicated due to the vascular nature of the mouth and due to the fact that all body parts require blood and nutrition to remain healthy .......

It is important to know that by the time an oral infection is diagnosed, it's already been present for quite some time. Physical symptoms may or may not be present until the infection is severe. If the infection has found or made a a path to drain into through a deep gum pocket or into the sinus or lymphatic system the symptoms may be vague, varied, in areas other than the tooth or non existent. Radio-graphic pathology is usually not visible until the infection has proliferated beyond the tooth. Often seen as a black area at or around the apex (root) of the tooth.

People who have a compromised immune system, a chronic health issue, cancer, or take various medications are more prone to developing more complications due to an oral infection as compared to others who have a healthy immune system.

Obvious symptoms of an oral infection that are not always present, can vary in degree and may not all be present at any one time are:

Pain, swelling, fever, achey-ness in the jaw and/or surrounding teeth, referred pain or sharp stinging/burning sensations to other areas of the mouth/head/neck/ears/sinus, etc., a sense of fullness or numbness around a tooth or in the jaw, a visible fistula above or below the tooth, swollen possibly red gums, pus extruding from the gum area...

It is very difficult to completely eradicate an infection from the jaw bone. Simply because it goes undiagnosed or untreated long enough for the bacteria to travel to other areas. Unfortunately, the damage that has occurred from the infection cannot always be corrected because it is still lurking in the retained root canaled tooth, may be microscopic and/or have traveled to areas that are not being checked. It may have already damaged the jaw bone, the ascending nerves, ligaments, muscle.... all of which could be temporary or permanent and the symptoms associated with this damage can be vague, diffuse, severe... on and off.

<<<Is this what might or is likely to be caused by root canals? >>

Yes, root canaled teeth without question do cause deterioration of the bone and beyond simply because our teeth are an integral part of the rest of our body. The mouth is the vascular window to whatever is occurring in the body. Root canaled teeth contain necrotic nerve tissue that is putrid and disease producing. These teeth are intricately connected to live ligaments, live tissue, live vessels, live nerves and live bone.

To add insult to injury, there is no longer any blood supplying the tooth with nutrition so this is a perfect set up for all sorts of changes to occur.... from the various species of bacteria and bio film that develop and proliferate beyond the tooth... to ischemia in what what become dead bone.... to bacteria flowing systemically in the blood stream to other organs.

All of these things that I mention are biological occurrences that occur in the body when there is a long term chronic infection. Teeth are no exception.

I hope that answers your questions.

Originally Posted by Vowel Lady

Bryanna...you've used the word "profuse" when referring to jaw bone infections, even after a tooth has been extracted. Are there always symptoms associated with jaw bone infections? What are they? Can they be corrected? Is this what might or is likely to be caused by root canals?

Thank you.

[dbpei]

This is so scary to me, Bryanna. I have been having many of the symptoms you describe (plus some) and have seen 4 oral surgeons and 2 ENT's. None of them are concerned about jaw bone decay. I even had a cat scan of my sinuses because of my symptoms. There is a cyst directly above a dental implant (#14) that seems to be protruding into the floor of my left sinus cavity. The cyst is also above the site of an extracted root canaled tooth (#15) done last year. Many of my symptoms (severe neuro-sensory hearing loss, horrible tinnitus, burning/buzzing/tingling and vibrating sensations, and intermittent jaw bone pain) seem to be originating from this area.

I would not have known about the infected tooth had it not been for a fistula that developed on the roof of my mouth. The oral surgeon who extracted this tooth told me that there was some necrotic bone tissue that he cleaned up and he did not think I would have any future problems with it.

I worry that the bone could be infected in the vicinity of my implant. None of the oral surgeons think this is likely after viewing my cat scan, x-rays and examining my gums/mouth. I even traveled several hours to see a good oral surgeon who has a lot of experience removing problematic implants. He thinks I may have damage to my 5th cranial nerve from previous dental work. Or it could be nerve damage from Lyme disease. I have damage to my 8th cranial nerve that we are pretty sure was caused by late stage Lyme disease.

It is so difficult to know what the problem is and whether to blame this on Lyme disease or some other infection or problem going on in there. I have read about all kinds of possibilities including fungi/mold in the sinuses, mercury toxicity, bacteria, viruses and even parasites! (This totally freaks me out!)

I am going to try Ondamed treatment later this week, as this type of therapy has been shown to heal damaged tissue and to increase blood circulation. I hope it will help me. I am also going to see a naturopathic doctor. It seems the traditional ones cannot help me with this!

I live in New England and will travel to a good dentist or oral surgeon who might be able to help me figure this out. If you could recommend one, I would be very grateful. Thank you for all you contribute to this forum.