First, I want to thank you for this forum. What a great place we can go, when we don't have an understanding dentist, or for a second opinion.

Last Thursday I had #31 extracted. (I was devastated to get the news when I went to my dentist about pain I was having when biting down.) Turns out 12 years ago, (31 years old now) the dentist who did my root canal put a FAR too big of a post in and caused the tooth to fracture on the very bottom due to post size. (I wonder if I should try to pursue some sort of malpractice action, as I am now missing a large tooth due to his mistake).

I also had a very bad infection form near the fracture site and started treatment of antibiotics 2 days prior to extraction. That's besides the point.

Tooth was extracted at a specialist using sedation. ( I have TERRIBLE anxiety issues), woke up all went very well. I went home, rested, iced and continued to take Ammoxicilin antibiotic. I have no pain in that area now, but I'm very depressed knowing I am now missing a large portion of my mouth to chew and will likely undergo some sort of implant in the future as I don't want my lower teeth shifting around and me causing more real tooth loss. (Still on Ammox. for another 3 days).

One thing I am noticing, is today is the first day I tried to bite down on that side of a small amount of banana, I feel like the top #6 tooth which had a cavity filled, is hurting when I bite on that side of the extraction.. almost like it's hitting a deeper area now. Could my bite be off? Can this be adjusted?

I'm suffer from depression as is, but this has me feeling really down lately. I am very saddened, and having some dark thoughts.

Thank you for all your help.

Hello yankee,

Welcome to the NeuroTalk support groups.

I'm sorry you're feeling so low and having these teeth problems. I have absolutely no expertise regarding dental issues, but I'm sure someone will be able to help with your questions.

Just wanted to say hello.

take care.

Hi yankee232,

Thank you for the kind words
I am in the dental field and can offer you some information here.

To make it easier to follow, I will re post some of your thread and answer you in bold type.

<<Last Thursday I had #31 extracted. I was devastated to get the news when I went to my dentist about pain I was having when biting down.>>

FOR THOSE READING THIS, TOOTH #31 IS YOUR LOWER RIGHT SECOND MOLAR. IF YOU NOW HAVE A LARGE OPEN SPACE THERE IT IS BECAUSE YOU EITHER HAD TOOTH #32 (YOUR WISDOM TOOTH) REMOVED (AT SOME POINT) OR YOUR WISDOM TOOTH NEVER CAME IN.

<<Turns out 12 years ago, (31 years old now) the dentist who did my root canal put a FAR too big of a post in and caused the tooth to fracture on the very bottom due to post size.>>

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE TOOTH WAS INFECTED FOR AT LEAST 12 YEARS BECAUSE THE ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE CANNOT MAKE THE TOOTH HEALTHY AGAIN AS IT CANNOT CURE THE INFECTION. WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAD ANY ORAL SYMPTOMS OF THE INFECTION DURING THOSE YEARS IS IRRELEVANT BECAUSE MOST TIMES A CHRONIC TOOTH INFECTION IS WITHOUT SYMPTOMS UNTIL THE INFECTION BECOMES VERY SEVERE AND/OR THE INFECTION DETERIORATES THE TOOTH SO BADLY THAT THE TOOTH FRACTURES CAUSING IT TO HURT WHEN YOU BITE DOWN.

DENTISTS PUT A POST IN A ROOT CANALED TOOTH WHEN THE ORIGINAL INFECTION HAS DECAYED A GOOD PORTION OF THE TOOTH STRUCTURE AS THE POST IS INTENDED TO GIVE THE TOOTH SOME RETENTION. IN ORDER TO RESTORE THAT TOOTH WITH A LARGE FILLING OR A CROWN, THE TOOTH NEEDS TO BE BUILT UP AROUND THE POST SO THAT THE FILLING OR CROWN HAS SOMETHING TO HOLD ONTO.

THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DENTAL POSTS IRRELEVANT OF THEIR SIZE. THE POST ALWAYS CAUSES SMALL STRESS FRACTURES TO OCCUR IN THE TOOTH SURROUNDING THE POST AS TEETH ARE NOT MEANT TO BE SO RIGID. THOSE FRACTURE AREAS CAN EVENTUALLY BREAK THROUGH THE TOOTH COMPLETELY BECAUSE ROOT CANALED TEETH ARE CHRONICALLY DECAYING INSIDE. POSTS CAN ALSO CAUSE FURTHER TRAUMA AND INJURY TO SURROUNDING BONE IT THE POST PERFORATES THE TOOTH ENTIRELY AND BECOMES DRIVEN INTO THE BONE.

<< (I wonder if I should try to pursue some sort of malpractice action, as I am now missing a large tooth due to his mistake).>>

YOU GENERALLY HAVE 2 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF SERVICE TO FILE A DENTAL CLAIM AGAINST A DENTIST FOR WRONG DOING. IN YOUR CASE IT'S BEEN 12 YEARS AND ACCORDING TO MALPRACTICE LAW WHICH GENERALLY FOLLOWS WHAT IS CALLED THE "STANDARD OF CARE" RULE, YOUR DENTIST DID NOT DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED OUTSIDE OF THAT STANDARD OF CARE RULING.

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOW MISSING TOOTH #31 BECAUSE 12 YEARS OR SO AGO, IT DEVELOPED AN INFECTION OF WHICH THERE WAS/IS NO DENTAL PROCEDURE THAT COULD CURE THAT INFECTION. SO THEREFORE THAT TOOTH HAS BEEN CHRONICALLY INFECTED THAT ENTIRE TIME. IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE YOU EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS.

<<I also had a very bad infection form near the fracture site and started treatment of antibiotics 2 days prior to extraction. That's besides the point.>>

ACTUALLY THE INFECTION THAT DEVELOPED IN THIS TOOTH HAD BEEN BREWING FOR 12 YEARS. THE DETERIORATION CAUSED BY THE BACTERIA HAD REACHED A POINT WHERE IT WAS PROLIFERATING FROM THE OBVIOUS FRACTURE. CHANCES ARE, THIS INFECTION WAS VISIBLE ON DENTAL XRAYS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IF NOT LONGER. DID YOU HAVE REGULAR DENTAL CHECK UPS AND XRAYS AND HAD YOUR DENTIST EVER MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT THIS TOOTH TO YOU OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS?

<<Tooth was extracted at a specialist using sedation. ( I have TERRIBLE anxiety issues), woke up all went very well. I went home, rested, iced and continued to take Ammoxicilin antibiotic.>>

OKAY, GLAD YOU HAD IT REMOVED BY AN ORAL SURGEON.

<<I have no pain in that area now, but I'm very depressed knowing I am now missing a large portion of my mouth to chew and will likely undergo some sort of implant in the future as I don't want my lower teeth shifting around and me causing more real tooth loss. (Still on Ammox. for another 3 days).>>

REGARDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS TOOTH. JUST SO YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE CAN CHEW JUST FINE WITHOUT REPLACING TOOTH #31. THE CONCERN OF NOT REPLACING IT HAS TO DO WITH THE TOOTH ABOVE IT, TOOTH #2, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY DRIFT DOWNWARDS IF IT DOES NOT HAVE A LOWER TOOTH TO PREVENT IT FROM DRIFTING DOWN. YOUR DENTIST CAN EVALUATE YOUR BITE AND TELL YOU IF TOOTH #2 IS BEING SUPPORTED BY TOOTH #30 BELOW IT. IF THAT IS THE CASE, YOU MAY DO JUST FINE WITHOUT REPLACING #31.

ALSO, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT TOOTH #31 WAS BADLY INFECTED FOR 12 YEARS. I KNOW THAT SEEMS LIKE HOW CAN THAT BE IF IT DIDN'T BOTHER YOU, BUT AS I SAID, MOST ORAL INFECTIONS ARE A SYMPTOMATIC UNTIL THE INFECTION IS SEVERE. THE POINT HERE IS THAT THE BONE IN THE AREA OF TOOTH #31 MAY NOT BE VERY HEALTHY DUE TO THE LONG TERM INFECTION IN THAT AREA AND IT MAY NEVER HEAL TO A COMPLETELY HEALTHY STATE. IT WOULD THEN BE RISKY TO PLACE A DENTAL IMPLANT IN THAT AREA DUE TO THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THERE. THE RISK OF IMPLANT FAILURE AND INFECTION IS ELEVATED ANYTIME A DENTAL IMPLANT IS PLACED IN THE JAWBONE WHERE THERE USE TO BE A ROOT CANALED TOOTH.

<<One thing I am noticing, is today is the first day I tried to bite down on that side of a small amount of banana, I feel like the top #6 tooth which had a cavity filled, is hurting when I bite on that side of the extraction.. almost like it's hitting a deeper area now.>>

IT IS TOO SOON TO BE EATING ON THAT SIDE OF YOUR MOUTH. YOU SHOULD AVOID CHEWING ANYWHERE NEAR THAT WOUND UNTIL THE GUM TISSUE HAS CLOSED OVER. TOOTH #6 IS YOUR UPPER RIGHT CANINE AND SEVERAL TEETH IN FRONT OF THAT SPACE. IF #6 IS HURTING TO CHEW THEN IT SHOULD BE EVALUATED BY YOUR DENTIST.

<< Could my bite be off? Can this be adjusted? >>

YOUR BITE COULD BE OFF AS YOU STILL HAVE BONE AND MUSCLE INFLAMMATION FROM THE ORAL SURGERY THAT WILL SLOWLY SUBSIDE OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL WEEKS. HAVE YOUR DENTIST EVALUATE YOUR #6 AND BITE.

<<I'm suffer from depression as is, but this has me feeling really down lately. I am very saddened, and having some dark thoughts.>>

I'M COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT DEPRESSION CAN ELEVATE DURING TIMES OF STRESS AND UNCERTAINTY. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK OF THIS EXPERIENCE FROM A POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE IN THAT YOU TRULY DID YOUR HEALTH A HUGE FAVOR BY HAVING THAT DISEASED TOOTH REMOVED. YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS YELLING "THANK YOU"!! REGARDING THE LARGE SPACE, THAT WILL FEEL LESS LARGE AS THE SITE HEALS. MOST OF THE TIME PEOPLE EVENTUALLY FORGET THE SPACE IS EVEN THERE AND GO ON TO EAT AND LIVE JUST FINE WITHOUT THAT TOOTH. MANY PEOPLE BY THE TIME THEY ARE IN THEIR 30'S ARE ACTUALLY MISSING ONE OR MORE OF THEIR MOLARS DUE TO INFECTION, DECAY OR WHATEVER AND THEY DO JUST FINE. SO TRY TO FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE ASPECT OF ALL OF THIS AND BELIEVE ME, YOU WILL BE OKAY )

Bryanna

Bryanna, thank you SO much for the reply. I will reply in red with my responses.

Thank you for this kind response.

Hey Yankee232,
Just wanted to say, I feel with you. I am in a similar situation, just had two teeth surgically removed in the past three months, both failed (and luckily my only) root canals. I was always proud of my teeth, and that I hardly ever had cavities. I am fairly young (28) and losing these two teeth is somehow devastating and emotionally taxing on me. I completely understand you! I feel jealous of people who still have all their teeth! But I also come to see the positive things that this experience has brought me: I feel I value my oral (and overall) health much more now, and take much better care of myself than before. I enjoy educating myself and finding out about natural remedies that might help me in my quest to, from now onwards, have the best oral health possible for me. Things I started doing for myself are oil pulling, making my own tooth powder at home, eating well, drinking more water, just to name a few. So, even though I still feel somewhat shocked and in disbelief of what happened to me and the resulting loss of two teeth, I can see the learning lessons this brought to me.
One more thing is, that I have found a holistic dentist that I trust, and who understands me and who can help me reach and maintain good oral health. Oh yeah, and also, I have started drinking lots of fresh pressed veggie and fruit juices, plus taking natural supplements, and this has made a HUGE difference in my overall wellbeing, my mental well being and my tooth and gum health! Maybe this is something you might be interested in as well...?
Anyways, it feels good to know I am not the only young person going through this, and I am sure it is possible for both of us to get to a point where we can feel happy again with our smiles :-)
BTW, one of my gaps is in the front, and I was SO scared of how I would look- but strangely enough, I noticed, people don't seem to really care at all, and now, I myself don't mind the gap as much anymore either. I am getting a temporary bridge in three weeks, though ;-)
All the best to you,
Meera

Hi Yankee,

To answer the questions that you had in red. I will copy and re post them then answer you in bold type.

<<Do you really think I had an infection that could of been stewing for that long?>>

ONCE A TOOTH BECOMES INFECTED THERE IS NO PROCEDURE THAT CAN CURE THAT INFECTION. THE ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE CAN ONLY REMOVE THE INFECTED NERVE TISSUE THAT IS ACCESSIBLE IN THE LARGE CANALS INSIDE OF THE TOOTH. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF TINY CANALS THAT CONTAIN NERVE TISSUE THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE. THAT NERVE TISSUE CONTINUES TO BREED INFECTIOUS BACTERIA INTO THE TOOTH AND EVENTUALLY BEYOND.

<< Dentist said possibly a month or two, I have regular xrays yearly and nothing looked out of ordinary with this tooth at the time.>>

THE TINY CANALS ARE MICROSCOPIC AND NOT VISIBLE ON A DENTAL XRAY. THE INFECTED NERVE TISSUE DOES NOT SHOW ITSELF RADIO GRAPHICALLY UNTIL IT PROLIFERATED BEYOND THESE TINY CANALS AND HAS BECOME LARGE ENOUGH TO BE VISIBLE. ALSO, IT COMMON TO SEE PATHOLOGY IN OR AROUND ROOT CANALED TEETH. IT IS NEVER HEALTHY FOR THERE TO BE PATHOLOGY IN THOSE AREAS, IT IS JUST COMMON AND OFTEN GOES UNDIAGNOSED UNTIL IT BECOMES SEVERE.

<< However, when I had the tooth xray the other day before extraction, the infection was SEVERE and very noticable on the xray per the Dentist>>

AS I SAID, WHEN IT BECOMES SEVERE, THEN IT IS DIAGNOSED. HOWEVER, THE ONSET OF THE INFECTION OCCURRED LONG BEFORE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS SUCH.

<<Is it really possible to have a 12 year infection?>>

ABSOLUTELY. IN SOME PEOPLE THE INFECTION PROGRESSES SLOWLY WHILE IN OTHERS MORE RAPIDLY. A HEALTHY TOOTH IS SOMEWHAT SELF CONTAINED IN A LIGAMENT IN THE JAW BONE AND IS FED NUTRITION THROUGH BLOOD VESSELS AND NERVES THAT THE TOOTH IS INTRICATELY CONNECTED TO. ONCE THE INFECTIOUS BACTERIA BREAKS THROUGH THE TOOTH AND PENETRATES INTO THE LIGAMENT AND BONE, THEN IT BECOMES MORE VIRULENT.

<<Could that have affected my health over this time frame and is a week of antibiotics enough time to rid of this? >>

ANY LONG TERM INFECTION ANY PLACE IN THE MOUTH OR BODY CAN AFFECT YOUR OVERALL HEALTH. IT CAN CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO INFECTIONS ELSEWHERE IN THE BODY.... IT CAN CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO PROBLEMS WITH OUR VITAL ORGANS AND/OR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. A WEEK OF ANTIBIOTICS MAY OR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE. IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL CASE. TAKING ANTIBIOTICS FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER PROBLEMS BECAUSE THE SPECIES OF BACTERIA THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THAT AREA OF BONE HAVE NOT BEEN SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED. YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN A COMMON ANTIBIOTIC WHICH IS THE TYPICAL STANDARD OF CARE RECOMMENDATION.

<<Do you think my health could of been impacted from this infection for a period of time? I have felt really down in the dumps lately. Tired, not myself etc.>>

THAT IS VERY POSSIBLE. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR A TOOTH INFECTION TO MAKE SOMEONE FEEL UNWELL. ANY SEVERE AND/OR LONG TERM INFECTION EVENTUALLY TIRES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM. NOW THAT THE CAUSE OF THE INFECTION, THE TOOTH, HAS BEEN REMOVED AND HOPEFULLY THE SURGEON WAS THOROUGH IN REMOVING THE LIGAMENT AND DISEASED BONE WHEN HE REMOVED THE TOOTH, YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM CAN REGAIN SOME STRENGTH AND GET YOU BACK TO FEELING WELL AGAIN.

<< I'm hoping I can get more used to the lack of teeth on that side, I know i need to give it time as its only been two days. Thank you for this last part, it reassures me Im not alone. I'm jelous of people who have all their teeth now lol.>>

YOU WILL ADJUST TO NOT HAVING THAT TOOTH BACK THERE. I KNOW IT SEEMS SO STRANGE THAT IT IS GONE, BUT AS THE SITE HEALS AND YOUR TONGUE AND CHEEK GET ADJUSTED TO THE SPACE, YOU WILL NOT MISS IT NEARLY AS MUCH AS YOU THINK YOU WILL.

Bryanna

Bryanna

Thanks so much for all your replies. It's very helpful. I am hoping the infection is finally gone, or subsided. I am finished with the antibiotic and i feel a lot better.

Do you know when I should start chewing over there again? It's still a little sore and biting down on that side seems really odd now. The extraction site seems to be healing well, and getting smaller.

Thank you

Hi yankee,

You are welcome

It is important that the infection be cured and not just subside. So if you develop any signs that you still have a problem, please visit your dentist.

It is best to avoid eating on the surgical site for as long as there is an opening in the gum tissue to avoid food impaction.

The gum tissue will close over completely in a few weeks or so. That time frame is different for everyone... some shorter, some longer. The actual healing that occurs underneath the gum tissue takes about one year to heal completely.

Bryanna