[newseditor44]

Ugh!!! Just spent 30 minutes writing this post and the site automatically refreshed and erased it. Here goes take two..

I just had my #19 molar surgically extracted by a dentist. I was also given a bone graph as well. I had previously had a root canal on that tooth about 10 years ago. For about a month leading up to the extraction, I'd had a small amount of pain which we had mistaken for a sinus infection. I was on antibiotics for several weeks prior to having the tooth removed. I was also having headaches in the temple area.

The procedure went well, no pain, but the doctor had to cut the tooth out in pieces. I remember seeing the bottom portion of the tooth and it looked black and white (kind of disgusting). I noticed I felt a bit better after the extraction with soreness in the normal places.

About 5 days post op I returned for a check up still complaining of headaches. The doctor took some images and found I had one tooth (upper molar same side) that needed a root canal. We went ahead and did that and without complications. The doctor told me the headaches could be from the muscles in my head readjusting to my new bite.

Its been two weeks since the extraction and I'm still suffering from headaches in the temple area and soreness at the extraction site. The doctor has looked at the extraction site and says things are healing normally (no signs of infection). However, when I came off the antibiotics this past weekend, the extraction site became sore again and the headaches increased (also light headed). I got an overall feeling of being run down (no fever) and my jaw felt like it was swelling up and I got a slightly sore throat. I went right back on the antibiotics and one day later an feeling better.

I have four days of antibiotics left and am petrified to go off them. Not sure what is going on but I'm beginning to lose faith in my dentist.

Is it normal to have these types of headaches (just above the ear, referring to the eyes and the back of the head)? Also, if the extraction site is healing as its supposed to is it possible to still have an infection? So very confused.

[Wiix]

When you know ahead of time you're going to write a log post do it in Notebook. That way you can make corrections and copy and paste it right into the reply space.

Sorry to hear about your headache, I've had them after extractions, they do go away. If the dentist says everything is normal and you continue to have this headache around your ear and back of your head maybe you should get a second opinion.

[Bryanna]

Hi newseditor,

Sorry for the glitch in your first attempt at posting on this forum. I think we have all been there at some point.... so we understand :/

I am going to re post some of your thread and reply in bold type. It's just easier to follow.

<<I just had my #19 molar surgically extracted by a dentist. I was also given a bone graph as well. I had previously had a root canal on that tooth about 10 years ago. For about a month leading up to the extraction, I'd had a small amount of pain which we had mistaken for a sinus infection. I was on antibiotics for several weeks prior to having the tooth removed. I was also having headaches in the temple area...

OKAY SO THE TOOTH WAS REMOVED 2 WEEKS AGO.
TOOTH #19 IS A LOWER FIRST MOLAR SO IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THIS TOOTH WAS CAUSING SINUS ISSUES. HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT YOUR NEWLY ROOT CANALED UPPER MOLAR IS CONNECTED TO YOUR SINUS ISSUES AND YOUR CHRONIC HEADACHE. I'LL GET INTO THAT MORE LATER.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT ROOT CANALED TEETH ARE NOT REALLY HEALTHY BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS SOME DEGREE OF INFECTION INSIDE OF THE TOOTH DUE TO THE MANY HUNDREDS OF TINY CANALS CALLED DENTIN TUBULES WHICH ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE DURING THE RC PROCEDURE. A TOOTH DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAINFUL TO BE SICK. IF THE BACTERIA FROM THE TOOTH IS DRAINING INTO ANOTHER AREA LIKE THE BONE AND/OR THE SINUS, THEN THE TOOTH MAY NOT HURT. OF COURSE IT'S NEVER GOOD TO HAVE A DRAINING INFECTION BUT THAT IS TYPICAL OF ROOT CANALED TEETH.

<<The procedure went well, no pain, but the doctor had to cut the tooth out in pieces. I remember seeing the bottom portion of the tooth and it looked black and white (kind of disgusting). I noticed I felt a bit better after the extraction with soreness in the normal places.>>

ROOT CANALED TEETH ARE GENERALLY BRITTLE BECAUSE THEY ARE NON VITAL. MEANING THE TOOTH HAS NOT HAD ANY NOURISHMENT FROM THE VESSEL THAT USE TO SUPPLY IT BLOOD BECAUSE THE VESSEL IS SEVERED DURING THE RC PROCEDURE. FREQUENTLY, RC TEETH BECOME ANKYLOSED, VERY ATTACHED, TO THE JAW BONE. BETWEEN THE BRITTLENESS AND THE ATTACHMENT, RC TEETH CAN BREAK APART DURING THEIR REMOVAL. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE EXTRACTED TOOTH IS TYPICAL FOR AN RC TOOTH AS THEY CAN BECOME VERY DISEASED.

<<About 5 days post op I returned for a check up still complaining of headaches. The doctor took some images and found I had one tooth (upper molar same side) that needed a root canal. We went ahead and did that and without complications. The doctor told me the headaches could be from the muscles in my head readjusting to my new bite.>>

SO WHY DID HE THINK THAT THE UPPER MOLAR NEEDED A ROOT CANAL? IS THIS TOOTH ON THE SAME SIDE AT THE ONE THAT WAS EXTRACTED? IS THIS THE SIDE THAT YOU HAVE SINUS AND HEADACHE ISSUES?
DO YOU SEE THIS DENTIST FOR REGULAR CHECK UPS AN CLEANINGS OR DO YOU BASICALLY GO TO THE DENTIST WHEN SOMETHINGS UP?

<<Its been two weeks since the extraction and I'm still suffering from headaches in the temple area and soreness at the extraction site. >>

IT IS COMMON FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE POST OP HEADACHES, AFTER THE EXTRACTION OF A LOWER MOLAR BECAUSE THE MOUTH WAS PROPPED OPEN VERY WIDE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND THERE WAS A LOT OF MANIPULATION TO THE JAW DURING THE EXTRACTION. THIS CAN CAUSE TENSION IN THE TMJ MUSCLE AND LEAD TO HEADACHES AND SORENESS IN THE TEMPLE AREA.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR HEADACHES BEGAN BEFORE THE TOOTH WAS EXTRACTED. SO IN THAT CASE, YOUR TMJ COULD BE AGGRAVATED..... BUT IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE THAT YOUR HEADACHES ARE STEMMING FROM THE UPPER TOOTH WHICH WAS RECENTLY ROOT CANALED. IS THIS UPPER TOOTH ON THE SAME SIDE AS YOUR HEADACHES?

<<The doctor has looked at the extraction site and says things are healing normally (no signs of infection). However, when I came off the antibiotics this past weekend, the extraction site became sore again and the headaches increased (also light headed). I got an overall feeling of being run down (no fever) and my jaw felt like it was swelling up and I got a slightly sore throat. I went right back on the antibiotics and one day later an feeling better.>>

THE EXTRACTION SITE MAY LOOK OKAY FROM A QUICK CLINICAL VIEW. BUT THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE SOMETHING BREWING INSIDE THE SOCKET. THE FACT THAT YOU DEVELOPED SORENESS AND OTHER SYMPTOMS AT THE EXTRACTION SITE SOON AFTER YOU STOPPED THE ANTIBIOTICS AND THEN
THE SYMPTOMS IN THAT AREA SUBSIDED ONCE BACK ON THE MEDS, MAY INDICATE A BACTERIAL INFECTION INSIDE THE SOCKET. SO IF THIS SITE ACTS UP AGAIN WHEN YOU COME OFF THIS PRESCRIPTION, THEN PLEASE SEE AN ORAL SURGEON TO EVALUATE THE HEALTH OF THE AREA. IF AN INFECTION IS ONGOING IN THAT AREA AND NOTHING IS PHYSICALLY DONE TO REMOVE IT, THEN THE BONE GRAFT WILL NOT BE SUCCESSFUL, THE JAW BONE WILL NOT HEAL PROPERLY AND YOU CAN END UP ILL FROM THE INFECTION. SO IT IS SOMETHING TO MONITOR AS IT SHOULD BE GETTING BETTER ON IT'S OWN, NOT WORSE.

ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE UPPER RC TOOTH MAY BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO YOUR PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF NOT FEELING WELL. AGAIN THE ANTIBIOTICS MAY TEMPORARILY SUBSIDE THE BACTERIA AND INFLAMMATION WITH THAT RC TOOTH, BUT IT CANNOT CURE THE BACTERIAL INFECTION INSIDE THE DENTIN TUBULES. IF THERE IS SINUS INVOLVEMENT WITH THAT UPPER TOOTH, ANTIBIOTICS ARE NOT GOING TO CURE THAT AREA EITHER BECAUSE IT WOULD BE THE INFECTED TOOTH THAT IS KEEPING THE SINUS INFECTED.

<<I have four days of antibiotics left and am petrified to go off them. Not sure what is going on but I'm beginning to lose faith in my dentist.>>

YOUR DENTIST IS USE TO DEALING WITH CASES LIKE YOURS AND HE IS TREATING YOU ACCORDING TO WHAT IS CALLED A STANDARD OF CARE. JUST TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND A BIT MORE ABOUT ALL OF THIS...... ROOT CANALS ARE DONE TO RETAIN UNHEALTHY TEETH FOR AN UNCERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME. THE PROCEDURE DOES NOT CURE THE TOOTH NOR MAKE IT WELL AGAIN. GOING ON A THIRD ANTIBIOTIC WILL ALSO NOT CURE THE INFECTION IF THERE IS ONE IN THE LOWER JAW NOR WILL IT MAKE THE RC TOOTH IN THE UPPER JAW BETTER. fyi.... IT IS BEST TO BE TREATED BY AN ORAL SURGEON WHEN ROOT CANALED TEETH NEED TO BE REMOVED AS THEY ARE MORE EDUCATED AND EXPERIENCED IN ORAL SURGERY.

<<Is it normal to have these types of headaches (just above the ear, referring to the eyes and the back of the head)? Also, if the extraction site is healing as its supposed to is it possible to still have an infection? So very confused.>>

IT NORMAL TO HAVE HEADACHES AS YOU HAVE DESCRIBED AFTER A LOWER MOLAR IS EXTRACTED. IF ALL IF HEALTHY IN THAT SITE, THEN YOUR PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS WILL IMPROVE. IT IS ALSO NORMAL TO HAVE YOUR SYMPTOMS WITH AN INFECTED UPPER TOOTH. ESPECIALLY IF THE INFECTION FROM THE TOOTH HAS SPREAD TO THE SINUS. IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE A COMBINATION OF BOTH IN YOUR CASE.

THE EXTRACTION SITE CAN LOOK LIKE IT IS HEALING EVEN IF THERE IS AN INFECTION IN THE BONE. AN XRAY CAN OFTEN HELP DIAGNOSE A LINGERING INFECTION IN THE BONE AND CAN PICK UP TOOTH OR BONE FRAGMENTS IN THE SURGICAL SOCKET.

What are you doing to take care of the extraction site? Are you using warm salt water rinses? Anything else to rinse with? Are you eating a soft food diet or are you chewing normal food?

Bryanna

[newseditor44]

Hi Bryanna!

Thank you so much for the detailed response. Where to start...

Yes, the headaches began before the surgery. But weren't nearly as bad as they were are now. Today I felt a minor improvement, I seem to do fine in the morning but as the day wears on I gradually get worse. I've gone most of the day today without advil (I'll take this as a minor victory). ON the antibiotics the pain in the lower molar has subsided. Most of my pain is in the lower portion of my jaw and a small area below the extraction site. The headaches come and go but aren't anywhere near where they were this past weekend.

As for the RC - we discovered this tooth had an issue when he did a visual exam, and with a follow up Xray. It was borderline RC with no infection showing above the tooth. He did the RC one week following the extraction. It is on the same side - the RC is an upper molar, the extraction is the lower molar.

When I returned to check the stitches about a week ago I told the doc about the pain in the lower tooth and he took an Xray and said things looked good, no signs of infection that he could see.

Your explanation of the headaches makes sense, and have they have seemed to die down a bit in the past two days. Last Friday I saw the other dentist in the office (mine was out of town) and she did a pretty thorough exam (looked at the tooth and the area around it, felt around the jawline, felt like she was massaging my jaw and forehead) and said that she too thought it was the muscles in my jaw that were causing the headaches, saying that could cause the eye pain as well. Also of note, I didn't really have sinus pain, rather, pain that extended above and around my eye, almost like a migraine.

One other note, I also have a slew of autoimmune issues, including Lupus and Celiac. After the RC, I broke out in canker sores at the injection sites and these have hurt like CRAZY! I've never had that with dental procedures before.

Thanks again for your quick response. Wondering what my next step is. I am supposed to go out of town on business next week for a big meeting, and am afraid to go now because of these tooth issues. If I have any procedures now that almost assuredly knocks me out of commission for a week. Don't know what to do.

[newseditor44]

Originally Posted by Wiix

When you know ahead of time you're going to write a log post do it in Notebook. That way you can make corrections and copy and paste it right into the reply space.

Sorry to hear about your headache, I've had them after extractions, they do go away. If the dentist says everything is normal and you continue to have this headache around your ear and back of your head maybe you should get a second opinion.

Thanks so much for responding, great tip! How long did you have your headaches and where where they located?

[newseditor44]

One other note - when the dentist did the RC, he said the tooth was hemorrhaging the first time he tried to put sealant inside of it, so he had to clean it out and let it sit for about 30 minutes before he could retry. Does that indicate a substantial infection?

[Wiix]

Originally Posted by newseditor44

Thanks so much for responding, great tip! How long did you have your headaches and where where they located?

I do remember the ache went around my ear to the back of my head too. It's all connected but it did go away without any complications.

[newseditor44]

Originally Posted by Wiix

I do remember the ache went around my ear to the back of my head too. It's all connected but it did go away without any complications.

I just want the pain to go away. Its been a tough summer and all of this is starting to affect work. I just need it to stop. Ugh...

[Wiix]

I think that's when I ramped up my use of Excedrin. They said it works on headaches and it really helped me.

[Bryanna]

newseditor,

The bleeding in the tooth as he began the root canal indicates that the tooth was vital. Why did he do the rc in the first place? What did he see clinically that made him determine the tooth should be root canaled?

The "sealant" he used to stop the bleeding, do recall if it had a very potent chemical smell?

Bryanna

Originally Posted by newseditor44

One other note - when the dentist did the RC, he said the tooth was hemorrhaging the first time he tried to put sealant inside of it, so he had to clean it out and let it sit for about 30 minutes before he could retry. Does that indicate a substantial infection?