Hi Bryanna,
I haven't been on here in a while because I thought I was healing, but apparently I am not. I am now 6 months after I have had teeth 14 and 15 removed with infection in my sinus. I still haven't done my implant because I am still having sinus issues. i have very thick, slimy mucus in my sinus. It seems to be draining and causing some stomach problems. I have heartburn almost daily now. It feels like I have a lump in my throat and I have a gassy stomach with diarrhea. I think it is from the thick, slimy drainage. I also have the pain around my eyes again and my left eye is burning. The site where the teeth were removed is still a little red and little pieces of bone from the bone graft are still coming out. I also get a very bitter taste coming from the site. It feels still like it is infected. I have gone back to the oral surgeon 4 times and he says everything is healing and I need to do the implant. I am now on my 5th ENT and I think I finally found one who will listen. My last ct scan in January said there may be remnants of roots in my sinus. The oral surgeon says no but The new ENT says he sees something there. He is re-doing the CT scan and also doing an MRI because I have a lump on the left side of my neck. It is related to the teeth because it goes up and down with how they are feeling. I also have been getting dizzy spells. I read another post on here where someone had the roots removed and they are dizzy too. Maybe there is a correlation? I feel super sick. It is weird because I was feeling a little better and now feeling horrible again. I really don't want to do the implant until we figure out what is wrong? How long can I wait to do it? If I wait too long what will I have to do to get it? I really need a tooth over on the left because I can't chew on that side now. I am so frustrated and like that other person, I cry almost daily. I just want to feel good again. Also, if it is determined that there are roots in my sinus, could that be causing all these problems and also how do I get them out? Who takes them out?

Angels,

The ENT and the oral surgeon need to collaborate on your case. They both need to work together to diagnose the cause of what is keeping this site infected. It is more than obvious that there is a problem. Do not be afraid to step on someones toes to get honest answers about what is going on. Your health is at stake. Get them to collaborate or seek different drs who will.

It would not behoove you to do the dental implants in that area perhaps ever due to the long term chronic infection ... or at least until the current problem is diagnosed and completely resolved. Doing the implants prior to that would cause much worse problems than you already have and make you seriously very ill.

Repeated CT scans, especially in short periods of time, are also detrimental to your health due to the cumulative affect of the radiation. You need to get these doctors to talk to each other and discuss your case.

Bryanna

Hi Bryanna,
It took me a couple months and I finally got in to see a new ENT, he has acknowledged that something is wrong. I do have to do a new CT scan but he said I would get more radiation flying from San Diego to Boston, (which I did the other day!) I am going to see a new oral surgeon tomorrow. It has been 6 months and I am still having trouble with #15. The site is still red, sore and I still feel the bone coming out. I also am getting a bitter taste that comes out of it periodically. The new ENT also cultured out Klebsiella Oxytoca out of my sinus. I am wondering if the infection in my tooth could cause that bacteria to harbor in there. I am really hoping to get to the bottom of this. Thank you for your help, I will keep you posted!

Angels,

The ENT is right about the radiation from a single CT scan. However, this is not your first CT scan in the last year. So it is the cumulative (successive additions) of radiation that is concerning. Especially since your profession exposes you to radiation every time you fly. Is there any way he can use the most recent CT scan that you had instead of doing another one?

It is obvious that there is something in the area of where the tooth was removed and the sinus that has never been eradicated, it's been brewing this whole time. It could be cyst and/or a piece of infected tooth that was not removed at the time of the oral surgery to remove #15. That's why I had mentioned awhile back that taking the Fluoroquinolone antibiotic was not the answer to curing an infection if something had been left in the surgical site or in your sinus. All too often antibiotics are prescribed before the problem is definitively diagnosed.

I'm sure the ENT put you on antibiotics for the Kleb infection. If there is a foreign matter, piece of tooth or splintered bone or a cyst in that area, the meds will not cure the problem as long as there is something present that keeps the infection brewing.

Please get the ENT and the OS to collaborate on your case.

Bryanna






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Hi Bryanna,
I have gone to another oral surgeon who absolutely was a waste of money. I have had the ct scans and everyone says well maybe there is something in the sinus but we think it is just packing they used when they removed the tooth. Do you think an MRI might be better in seeing if there is some sort of infection left there? . I am beyond frustrated and still feel like something is wrong. I am still having the sinus problems and also nose problems. I really don't know where to turn now. Do you have any suggestions? I am so tired of living with this.

Hi Angels,

My heart aches for you so badly. I know this has been so stressful for you... :/ So now basically the dentists and ENT feel there is something there.

Packing? What packing? Are they referring to the bone graft material? Because any other form of "packing" should not be evident at this time. If it is, then it is a problem as all other materials are basically collagen based and are absorbed by the body.

Did the surgeon leave something in there? Like a piece of tooth or a piece of gauze pad? Is he, and the others, trying to cover something up?

The ENT and an oral surgeon need to discuss their findings together and then with you. Has that happened yet? You have had enough scans and xrays in the last 6 months to diagnose or at least get a game plan on how to move forward with diagnosing this problem.

Bryanna

Hi Bryanna,
I have an appointment with the ENT on Friday. I really feel like there is something left after the tooth removal that is causing this problem. Can an oral surgeon go back in and open up the site and check? This is ridiculous, I have been miserable for over a year and nobody will listen to me. I am going to ask the ENT if he is 100 percent sure the roots are gone. I hope he listens to me. I am really at my wits end with this.

Angels,

The ENT may not be able to distinguish if there are root tips OR he may NOT want to be the one to tell you that he thinks that may be the problem. In all likelihood, he would prefer not to step on the surgeons toes and let the oral surgeon do the informing. It is not unusual for ENT's and OS's to collaborate on cases like yours because more often than not both of their expertise is needed to treat the patient properly.

Therefore, please, please tell the ENT to confer with the oral surgeon to come up with mutual diagnosis as to what could be going on.... to determine which one of them should tell you what is going on .... and to determine which one of them (if not both) should treat the problem and how.

If you do not make that request and let them both know that you EXPECT them to collaborate on your case, then you will continue to go in circles.

I really cannot help you any further until you get them to collaborate. This is not an unusual request from a patient ... but there are times, when the patient needs to insist upon it.

Bryanna

Hi Bryanna,
But the dental people are saying they don't see anything and the ENT's and radiologists are the ones saying they are possibly seeing roots. I have taken the CT to two oral surgeons and an endodontist. It still feels like something in there is infected and this sinus/nose issue is not going away. The site where tooth #15 was taken out will periodically hurt and it still feels like there is infection. According to the ENT's, my sinuses are beautiful. I am a very healthy person but this will not go away. I really don't know where to turn, but I certainly can't live like this. I have thick slimy mucus in my post nasal area, especially on the left side where the teeth were removed. The soft palate area get sore and sometimes swells up, my ears are constantly ringing and my nose is crusty and dry, which I think is swollen. Under my eyes are swollen and hurt. I hate living like this!! I don't know what to do and nobody seems to be able to help.

Angels,

The ENT AND the OS need to talk with EACH OTHER. They need to collaborate. It is irrelevant as to what each of them thinks separately. They will discuss your case and your findings on a different level with each other than they discuss it with you. That is what needs to be done.

Bryanna