Parminides,

Do you recall if your lower right wisdom tooth was extracted and that is what was left behind? It looks like the crown portion (the top) of a wisdom tooth that is remaining in the bone.

Yea, I am concerned about the spread of bacteria and bone loss associated with tooth #8. I know you want to put that area on a back burner but that might not be such a wise thing to do. According to ancient chinese medicine, that area of the mouth is connected to the urinary and renal collecting system. Which means the bacteria from that area will likely travel to those other systems. I can tell you from my professional experience that I know of patients who had infections in the upper anterior teeth who also had bladder, prostate and/or renal problems.

The yellow line that you drew (nicely articulated by the way) could be where the fracture was or that could be your normal anatomy. I see a possibility more towards the center of the tooth, just left of the center that starts at the crown of the tooth and travels down through the pulp chamber into the distal portion (near the back) of the mesial root (first root). Did the dentist show you where the crack was? Do you know how you cracked that tooth?

Yea, there is a small void in the bone just below the gum line where tooth #19 was. Frequently a dentist will not pick up on this

The darkened areas on the panorex pertaining to your lower right side may be indicative of an infection. A periapical xray may be helpful in determining that. If it is, I would tend to think it could be linked to that odd wisdom tooth in that quadrant. You said that area has looked dark on other panorex films. Has the darkened area gotten larger? Is there any drainage or pain in that area? What have your dentists said about it? How did that area show up on your CT scan? If it has not been evaluated by an oral surgeon, I think it should be.

I'm not positive if the roots of your lower molars go directly into the mandibular canal. Keep in mind these are only 2 dimensional xrays. The CT scan may have showed something different as you said.

Regarding the travel of bacteria from an infected tooth to another area of the body... it depends on what area of the body shares the same meridian path with that tooth. Here is a chart that shows those paths....
http://toothbody.com/wp-content/uplo...v2.1_rehme.swf

The dentist who extracted #19 may have been able to tell if he was in the mandibular canal because that area feels different than bone when you touch it with an instrument the texture of the blood may be different also. But typically general dentists do not really look for these signs.

There are a variety of possible complications regarding infection and the mandibular canal. Each case would be different. Some people may have temporary or permanent numbness, others may have radiating nerve pain, some could have temporary or permanent facial paralysis, others may end up with further infection.

I think you definitely have long roots!!! It is very possible that the posterior teeth are either in or in close proximity to your sinuses. The pan is just a 2 dimensional xray.... so it can be deceiving when trying to view it from that perspective.

Bryanna






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