[nabber]

Hey, weekend was alrite, I didn't have to go to the ER, my fear was bigger than my fever. I was getting cold/hot flashes and a lot of worry of what might be happening to me, no fever above 37.5C. Anyhow, she saw me again today, the lump doesn't seem to be a lump anymore, and its less tender when she touched it. We saw the x-ray together, show no signs of infection, abscess etc.

Her opinion is to take muscle relaxants for one more week and if I still feel that swollen thing on my face (it's a feeling I got, its not really swollen anymore, maybe VERY little compared to the other side) she will open my gum or take liquid sample off it to see what it is. She thinks that if it is an infection it will grow again, if not, its a muscle spasm cause its at a point between my jaw and my gum a lot of muscles meet she said.

So, what is your opinion in all this? Should I be worried for osteo? Its been 4.5 weeks after my surgery, won't it have appeared on the x-ray by now?

[Bryanna]

Hi nabber,

If the lump is dissipating and there are no clinical or radio graphic signs of infection, then it may be best to wait it out a few more weeks. If the lump reappears, you get swollen, develop pain ... then obviously don't wait to see the dentist.

Osteomyelitis does not necessarily show symptoms at the early stages. It can be asymptomatic for a long time. So the area should be monitored with a dental xray at your cleaning appointments to monitor the progress of the healing. This way if you remain asymptomatic but something does show up radio graphically it can be treated before it turns into a bigger problem.

[BarryPoint]

Originally Posted by Bryanna

Hi nabber,

If the lump is dissipating and there are no clinical or radio graphic signs of infection, then it may be best to wait it out a few more weeks. If the lump reappears, you get swollen, develop pain ... then obviously don't wait to see the dentist.

Osteomyelitis does not necessarily show symptoms at the early stages. It can be asymptomatic for a long time. So the area should be monitored with a dental xray at your cleaning appointments to monitor the progress of the healing. This way if you remain asymptomatic but something does show up radio graphically it can be treated before it turns into a bigger problem.

Same thing here. I had a tooth removed and now there's some swelling. I'm not sure if it's an abscess or what. I hate going to the dentists. Do you think I could pop it with a sterile needle?

[Bryanna]

BarryPoint,

Please do not pop the swelling with anything... sterile or not.

It's important to keep in mind that the extracted tooth was embedded in jaw bone. So irrelevant of whether the gum is sutured or not, the bone is open where the tooth was and bacteria can easily migrate into that open area. This is not a superficial issue to mess around with.

Please see the oral surgeon to evaluate the site asap.

Bryanna

Originally Posted by BarryPoint

Same thing here. I had a tooth removed and now there's some swelling. I'm not sure if it's an abscess or what. I hate going to the dentists. Do you think I could pop it with a sterile needle?