[leesal]

I had a tooth extracted #31, bone grafting on 29, 30 and 31. 29 and 30 were extracted 20 years ago after a severe accident.

I ended up with an infection and dry socket in that area. I was getting a really bad taste in my mouth. I'm still on antibiotics...today is the last day. I'm still having pain in that area. The pain has been getting better until today, it's been more sore and painful. The extraction was quite difficult. Is this normal 18 days after the fact? I saw the Dr. yesterday and told him things were getting better (they were). He said there was no dry socket, the extraction sight is starting to close which he's right it is. What else could be causing this discomfort? My Dr. did say he had a patient with a similar procedure and she did have pain for about 3 weeks which is what he told me to expect originally.

[Bryanna]

leesal,

You had a lot of invasive oral surgery done, a lot of bone grafting done and what would be referred to as a traumatic/difficult extraction. All of which takes a long time to settle down and heal. Having an infection (dry socket) in an area where there was bone grafting increases the risk of graft failure which can be painful. For all of those reasons, no one here could gauge what would be normal as far as your current pain goes.

You have to monitor your own pain and try to see what makes it feel worse and what makes it feel better. Chewing is going to make your mouth hurt because it over works your jaw. I hope you are not eating on that side and that you are only consuming soft nutritious foods.

Sometimes applying moist warm compresses on the outside of the face in that area helps to soothe the pain. Have you tried anything like that? What are you doing to reduce the pain?

Bryanna

Originally Posted by leesal

I had a tooth extracted #31, bone grafting on 29, 30 and 31. 29 and 30 were extracted 20 years ago after a severe accident.

I ended up with an infection and dry socket in that area. I was getting a really bad taste in my mouth. I'm still on antibiotics...today is the last day. I'm still having pain in that area. The pain has been getting better until today, it's been more sore and painful. The extraction was quite difficult. Is this normal 18 days after the fact? I saw the Dr. yesterday and told him things were getting better (they were). He said there was no dry socket, the extraction sight is starting to close which he's right it is. What else could be causing this discomfort? My Dr. did say he had a patient with a similar procedure and she did have pain for about 3 weeks which is what he told me to expect originally.

[leesal]

I have been avoiding that side for now. Currently I'm using Advil for pain. Last week I tried the warm compresses which helped my jaw tremendously. Today is just an incredibly bad day for the pain.

[Bryanna]

leesal,

I am sorry you are so uncomfortable. If the warm compresses helped, then perhaps you could try them again.

Also, not to be repetitive, but the less you chew the better. It is important to eat soft nutritious foods. Can you make fruit and vegetable smoothies or shakes? I know it's hard to be dealing with this pain for so long but the healthier you are through recovery, the better you will feel.

I hope the pain lessens soon. If you feel that something may not be right, please do not hesitate to see the oral surgeon.

Bryanna

Originally Posted by leesal

I have been avoiding that side for now. Currently I'm using Advil for pain. Last week I tried the warm compresses which helped my jaw tremendously. Today is just an incredibly bad day for the pain.

[leesal]

Still struggling with pain on the right side where the extraction was done after 3 weeks.

For the last few days I'm getting a horrible taste in my mouth. I texted the Dr. who put me on 3 days of Zithromax. I see him again on Monday.

Strong history of C Diff so he's trying to avoid a reoccurrence.

He said I either have an infection or the grafting didn't take.

Does this ound right? Maybe I should get a second opinion?

[Bryanna]

leesal,

Okay so you have a history of C Diff. As you probably know, that makes you more susceptible to getting that again. Do you know what probiotics are? Are you taking a probiotic supplement? Taking that every day is wise for most people, but especially if you've had C Diff. You will not get adequate supplementation from eating yogurt, unless the yogurt is homemade from kefir and without added sugar.

Leesal, due to the extent of the oral surgery that you had done and the fact that the grafting was done in an area that had a dry socket as well in areas where the teeth were removed 20 years ago, your case needs to be evaluated by the oral surgeon. You may have a hard time getting a second opinion as another oral surgeon may not want to touch the work that was just done because then he could be blamed for any complications that may arise. But you definitely need to see the dentist who performed the surgery.

What are you doing to help reduce the pain besides taking advil? Are you eating nutritiously and drinking a lot of water throughout the day?

Bryanna

Originally Posted by leesal

Still struggling with pain on the right side where the extraction was done after 3 weeks.

For the last few days I'm getting a horrible taste in my mouth. I texted the Dr. who put me on 3 days of Zithromax. I see him again on Monday.

Strong history of C Diff so he's trying to avoid a reoccurrence.

He said I either have an infection or the grafting didn't take.

Does this ound right? Maybe I should get a second opinion?

[leesal]

Thanks Bryanna!

Yes im taking probiotics twice per day. Ive not been doing keefer but will add that to the mix.

I'm eating fairly well doing lots of smoothies.

Im returning to the Dr. Monday.

Based on what I've told you, does it sound like the surgeon did some thing wrong? I really want another Dr. to look at my case. How would i know if things were done correctly?

As far as pain is concerned ive also done tumeric.

[Bryanna]

Leesal,

I mentioned to you in my original post that I was skeptical about the dentist placing bone graft in areas where the teeth had been extracted 20 years ago as the bone has had to recede quite a bit over that span of time. The success of the grafts depend on several factors including how well he prepared that bone before he placed the implants and if the bone was adequate enough to hold the graft.

I was also concerned about the extraction site that developed a dry socket as you said he had placed a graft there also. So that graft may be compromised from the dry socket.

I cannot tell you he did anything wrong as I have not seen the pre op xrays or the way he performed the surgery.

If you could get a different opinion that would might be helpful. But as I said you may have difficulty doing that as another oral surgeon may not want to get involved.

Stay on the probiotics and you won't need the kiefer.

Bryanna

Originally Posted by leesal

Thanks Bryanna!

Yes im taking probiotics twice per day. Ive not been doing keefer but will add that to the mix.

I'm eating fairly well doing lots of smoothies.

Im returning to the Dr. Monday.

Based on what I've told you, does it sound like the surgeon did some thing wrong? I really want another Dr. to look at my case. How would i know if things were done correctly?

As far as pain is concerned ive also done tumeric.

[leesal]

Originally Posted by Bryanna

Leesal,

I mentioned to you in my original post that I was skeptical about the dentist placing bone graft in areas where the teeth had been extracted 20 years ago as the bone has had to recede quite a bit over that span of time. The success of the grafts depend on several factors including how well he prepared that bone before he placed the implants and if the bone was adequate enough to hold the graft.

I was also concerned about the extraction site that developed a dry socket as you said he had placed a graft there also. So that graft may be compromised from the dry socket.

I cannot tell you he did anything wrong as I have not seen the pre op xrays or the way he performed the surgery.

If you could get a different opinion that would might be helpful. But as I said you may have difficulty doing that as another oral surgeon may not want to get involved.

Stay on the probiotics and you won't need the kiefer.

Bryanna

Hi Bryanna,

I wanted to follow up with you in regards to my situation for further advice.

I saw another oral surgeon who felt the other Dr. didn't do an adequate enough job cleaning out the extraction site on the left. On the right side where grafting was also done, the membrane started showing and one of the screws started coming up.

I went back to the original Dr. who did my surgery. He went back in to remove the membrane on the right side and screw which was done January 7. On the left side where the tooth was extracted, he did an x-ray and said there was an infection present which he went back in to clean out. The right side is feeling better and I don't have a lot of the pain. The left side where the extraction and grafting was done pain is better. One issue I continue to have is the bad taste in my mouth coming from the extraction site. I'm doing Chlorhexidine 2 times per day along with salt water rinses.

Since I continue to have this bad taste where the tooth was extracted and bone grafting done, do you think there is still infection present? I'm 6 weeks post op from my original surgery.

[Bryanna]

Hi leesal,

I am glad that you are finally have some relief from the pain. May I ask why you let the original oral surgeon do these second surgeries? Was it for financial reasons?

Anytime you have oral surgery, you are going to have an unpleasant taste and breath odor because you have surgical wounds that are deep into the bone and bacteria infiltrates the area as it is healing. If there is no infection, the taste and odor will slowly dissipate as the sites heal.

With that said, sometimes the odor and taste are due to infection. In your case, the only one who knows what's lurking in the surgical sites is the surgeon who has performed the surgeries.

When he did these second surgeries, did he place new bone grafts in those areas? Did he instruct you to rinse "twice" a day with chlorhexidine?

Did he put you on more antibiotics?

Bryanna

Originally Posted by leesal

Hi Bryanna,

I wanted to follow up with you in regards to my situation for further advice.

I saw another oral surgeon who felt the other Dr. didn't do an adequate enough job cleaning out the extraction site on the left. On the right side where grafting was also done, the membrane started showing and one of the screws started coming up.

I went back to the original Dr. who did my surgery. He went back in to remove the membrane on the right side and screw which was done January 7. On the left side where the tooth was extracted, he did an x-ray and said there was an infection present which he went back in to clean out. The right side is feeling better and I don't have a lot of the pain. The left side where the extraction and grafting was done pain is better. One issue I continue to have is the bad taste in my mouth coming from the extraction site. I'm doing Chlorhexidine 2 times per day along with salt water rinses.

Since I continue to have this bad taste where the tooth was extracted and bone grafting done, do you think there is still infection present? I'm 6 weeks post op from my original surgery.