Hi all and Bryanna!

I previously posted (my first) about an ongoing issue I have been having with an extraction site on my right bottom jaw (second molar from the very back, all four wisdom teeth removed, sorry am not familiar with tooth #), pulled October 2014

Now only a couple weeks ago, I began to have trouble with the same molar on the left side, so I went into the dentist and she adjusted my bite as she noticed it was high on that side. The day after the bite adjustment, it was even more painful to bite down. I had an x-ray done showing that the inflammation was actually underneath the tooth behind it (very back molar on the left side). The dentist decided that I should have a root canal on that very back molar and that was scheduled for March 2, 2015 at a specialist. the very back molar wasn't really giving me very much trouble, I was convinced it was the second molar that was giving me trouble. She sent me away with antibiotics to take for 7 days.

Well, something very interesting happened when I began the antibiotics. BOTH sides of my jaw began hurting and the feeling of something festering going on (like fluid buildup almost) in the extraction site from October and the right mandible in the back. I honestly couldn't tell which tooth was hurting in the right mandible as it all felt very full.

I called my dental office back up and explained the situation, she wanted me to come in to see one of the dentists there who has done all of this office's extractions for the past 30 years and I guess he has truly seen it all. So I went in there Tuesday of this week to see this dentist. He seemed geniunely concerned about this lump/numbing feeling I am having in the old extraction site. He took an x-ray (it was a full x-ray, panoramic?) as he was afraid my mandible was fractured during my extraction (NOT PERFORMED BY HIM) and couldn't see from that any kind of fracture.

After this, he took a look at my teeth on my left side and discovered that I was right, there was a crack in the second tooth from the back. He really wants to try to save both of these teeth. He went ahead and has tried to perform a repair and seal the tooth so hopefully we will be able to save at least one, but from the way I have been feeling the past couple days, I have been coming to terms that this is just not possible and I may very well end up losing both back teeth on my left side.

After he was done with repairing and sealing the tooth, he continued to study the old extraction site. Bryanna, I am hoping you may be able to give me some insight here because what he explained, well I can't say for sure it is even possible or I buy it. He checked my bite and explained that it is very off, my bottom jaw seemed to be going a little more to the left. He explained that this could be what is causing pain and inflammation in the old extraction site, since the muscles and nerves are being stretched and told to go places they shouldn't go. Is that possible? I am not convinced that there is no infection left in there, especially the way that side reacted when I took the antibiotics a couple weeks ago.

Anyway, he decided to try to adjust my bite on both sides. Well Tuesday, once all the freezing wore off, I was having quite a bit of sensitivity all over. Thursday, most of the sensitivity all over was gone, except I still had some in my front bottom teeth. I didn't think much of it since the two molars on my left side are still quite painful and getting swollen as well, maybe it was 'referred' pain. Thursday night, I felt what I thought was a pimple on the bottom of one of my bottom front teeth, looked in the mirror and saw nothing. Now today, the sensitivity in my front bottom teeth is off the scale, it's worse than the pain I am feeling in my molars that are inflamed. I took a look in the mirror this afternoon, and low and behold, there's a huge vertical crack running down one of my front bottom teeth, right where the pain is coming from.

So, this will make three cracked teeth in under a year. The root canal on my first extraction failed because the tooth was cracked (crack was not discovered at the time of root canal), the same tooth on the left side is now cracked (with repair that I am 99% sure is failing right now) and now a crack in one of my front bottom teeth that seemed to appear out of nowhere. (Was it from the bite adjustment or was it already there?)

So many cracked teeth, what could cause this? I've come up with some of my own ideas through research and other users here sharing their experiences..
1) Grinding or clenching my teeth
2) My diet
- as much as I try to eat healthy, much of my life up until about the past year, was full of processed food and sugars like much of society here in North America. I have realized that this malnutrition has likely been THE source of my dental and health issues.
3) Long-term antibiotic or pain med use - I haven't read much into this, however I have read here and there that certain medications can cause your teeth to weaken. Antibiotics and ibuprofen have been the only medications I have used long-term in my life.
4) I recently saw this one and interestingly, might cover both issues I am having. Saliva gland issues. If my mouth isn't getting enough, it could be possible my teeth are weakening from this. I also am thinking, what if the lump underneath my extraction area is actually a swollen or blocked saliva gland?

I believe my issues might even be a combination of all of these. While I'm not sure if it could have been cracked from the bite adjustment procedure itself, I do wonder if my front tooth has cracked because my bite is different, sometimes my front teeth hit together when I talk now, never did that before

This past week.. heck, past year, has been a hell of a journey for me in the state of my dental health. I'm only 25 and never in my worst nightmares did I think I would be dealing with multiple tooth extractions at this age. I always took good care of my teeth, I thought I did. I have cried many a tear for so long now over losing my teeth and all the problems I have been having. It feels awful, embarrassing, so completely lost, especially when no one can seem to tell you WHY this is happening. I have begun to count my blessings though.. yes even though I wake up in pain, I still woke up. Even though I can't even walk very far without being in pain, I still woke up. Even though it pains me to smile anymore, I still woke up. It has made me appreciate my oral and overall health much more than I ever have, and although I still have a long road ahead of me, I have faith that I will still wake up.

If you made it to the end, thank you a million. I hope if you are having any ailments of your own, you feel better soon!