Hi all, Let me start by saying I am no novice to dental procedures so I do not tend to worry easily. Here is my situation.
On a routine cleaning,I informed the hygienist that I thought I had a loose crown. It moves and there was a definite smell and taste associated with it. After X-rays, it was confirmed that it was infected and moved because the whole tooth beneath he crown was moving. I was put on an anti biotic for four days and the tooth was extracted along with removing the crown from the tooth in front and in back so as to make a bridge. I must tell you also that this tooth had a root canal years prior.

When the tooth was extracted the dentist inserted synthetic bone graft. (at least that is what I understood. A temporary crown was made and away I went. Approximately 20 minutes later I felt this site begin to swell like I have never felt before. I called the dentist and was told it was a hematoma and to do the usual warm salt water rinse. Two days later, this site was very hard and unlike any hematoma I have ever had so I met with the dentist who again told me it was a hematoma.

Two weeks later I was sent to an oral surgeon who really didn't know what it was either although we all know it is not a hematoma. I feel like I am walking with a marble in the side of my mouth. When X-rays are taken, nothing shows up.

Please help. This is maddening as this was not there before the extraction. I also will add that there now seems to be a shard of bone coming from up from the extraction site. Nothing hurts unless it is pressed on over and over.

Please help. What could it be and how did it get there. Could this be a result of the extraction?

Hi coletteriha,

Perhaps you could give some clarification....

Did the original dentist diagnose a hematoma based on your description over the phone and then confirm that diagnosis visibly 2 days later? Is that correct? Did he give you a reason why he suspected that's what it was without seeing you immediately?

Is the lump a "bony mass" or a discolored lump of gum tissue? Did it start out soft and become solid? What color was it originally and what color is it now?

Where on your gum is this lump? Does it travel underneath the temporary bridge?

Are the anchor teeth to this 3 unit temp bridge root canaled? Do you have periodontal disease?

What did the GD do first, extract the tooth or prepare the adjacent teeth for a temp bridge?

An oral hematoma is generally easy to diagnose and so the uncertainty or difference in opinion between the GD and the OS is odd. Unless the GD knows of something occurring during the injections, the extraction or preparation of the temp bridge that he has not disclosed?

It is common for jaw bone fragments to surface after a tooth is extracted. Although it could also be a sliver of the tooth that was not removed during the extraction. Both of which occur most often when either a tooth is ankylosed (fused tightly) to the jaw bone and the removal is difficult or overly traumatic to the bone, or the extraction is incomplete and pieces of the tooth or splintered off jaw bone were not removed at the time of the extraction.

Perhaps you could consider seeing a different oral surgeon, one unassociated with your general dentist? It would be very helpful to bring your pre op and post op xrays of that area to this consultation so he can see the history of this tooth and jaw bone.