Hi All,

I recently had all four wisdom teeth removed. I am currently on day eight of recovery. When the upper third molars where removed it made openings into my sinus cavity. Which is apparently common. I returned to the oral surgeon about four days post surgery for a follow-up and he seemed very nonchalant about the situation. He told me to continue doing warm salt water rinses three times a day and that if it wasn't any better in about 6 weeks to come back. Very short bedside manner. My question is what can I also do to help them heal. I'm not smoking, or drinking through straws, or blowing my nose or any of the other myriad of things I'm not supposed to do. However, when I eat I'm still feeling air pill through from both sides and when I do my rinses Occaisionally water still runs out of my nose or back into my mouth. How long does it normally take for these communications to heal? And should I be concerned that air is still coming through.

Hi Crochetmom,

Small pin hole sinus perforations heal within a few days or less and often give little to no symptoms. Larger perforations can take several weeks to heal but the symptoms you are having should be subsiding with each and every day since the extractions indicating that the perf is closing. Oral surgeons and other dentists all have their own preferences in dealing with sinus communications. Some treat them at the onset, others wait it out. Some take special measures during the removal of the teeth to try and avoid sinus perforations, while others don't.

If you fell that you are not getting improvement with each day or you have new symptoms develop, then see the oral surgeon. If he seems uninterested in your situation, then see someone else to evaluate it. You would need your pre op xrays if you see another surgeon.

The most you can do at home is to not smoke, avoid alcohol in both drinks and mouthwash (it irritates the surgical socket and can prolong the healing of the sinus and the growth of new bone), do not blow your nose, sneeze with your mouth open, avoid using straws or sucking on candy, eat a nutritious diet (preferably soft food at least for the first 2 weeks to avoid over using your jaw), drink filtered water throughout the day (an amount equivalent to half your body weight keeps the body hydrated and flushes out toxins, etc), brush and floss all of your teeth to keep the plaque from accumulating, and rinse 3-4 times a day with warm salt water. Do not deliberately try to test to see if air is coming through as that could keep opening up the newly formed membrane.

Did the surgeon instruct you to use a decongestant or are you on antibiotics?

Bryanna

Thank you so much for you timely reply! Yes the oral surgeon prescribed antibiotics. I'm taking 500 mg of penicillin every six hours. I have about two days left until it's done. I feel like maybe I'm continually disturbing the site by eating. When in wake up in the morning nothing happens, but when I start eating is when it starts making noise. I try really hard to not bother it, or pull or blow through them purposely. But you know how when you eat, you run your tongue across the top to get food debris out from between gums and cheeks, that's when air pills through. They also sort of alternate, one side will do it more and then stop and then the other side will start again. Its all very frustrating. I can't see far enough inside to tell how big the holes are or to tell if they're healing and getting smaller. If it's not better in another week I guess I'll try to go back to the surgeon. I'm unfortunately on Medicaid so there aren't many other choices open to me other than the one I've already seen. Thank you for your info! It is greatly appreciated. After searching the web and getting no realnresponse from the surgeon, it's nice to have some idea of what to expect.

Hi Crochetmom,

How are you doing? Have the sinus issues decreased since last time you wrote?

Bryanna