Hi Bryanna, I had tooth 2 extracted 4 weeks ago, as you know. It doesn't hurt anymore and the lumpiness is going away. It looks fine except the inner part, the hole, is not the color of the gum, pink...it still looks partially reddened. I get my stitches out tomorrow from the other extraction (tooth 11, different oral surgeon). I had my follow up for the first tooth and he said it looks fine, but that was 3 weeks ago. Surgeon #2 said maybe a piece of bone is trying to come out but I don't see anything. How would they know, an x-ray? He said no, so I don't know. Is it normal for it to still be a little red (no blood or anything)? No infection because I have taken antibiotics and there is no soreness in that area anymore. The thought of going back to the first oral surgeon who extracted #2 for further intervention is freaking me out. Do some people just have this redness then it goes away? Thanks.

Hi sandy,

The redness in tooth # 2 site could be a small bone spur that is trying to make it's way out and it's irritating the edge of the gum tissue. Sometimes it will show on an xray, but not always. Sometimes the spur is so incredibly tiny but it's just enough to irritate the tissue. If it is a tiny bone spur in the tissue, then it only takes seconds to remove it and it's not anything to get concerned about.

The redness could also be from eating on it. I know you are trying to avoid that area, but food gets over there anyway.

I'm sure the surgeon will take a look at it when he removes the sutures from the site of #11. Let us know what he says!

Bryanna

Thanks! One question, if it doesn't show on the x-ray, what do they do? Make an incision and look? The thought of this scares me, more surgery? More worrying about a dry socket? Can that happen if they are near the bone again? What I mean is do they just cut your gum open because of a suspicion of a tiny spur? Would it be right underneath the surface? Do they have to stitch you again after this? Lots of questions but I am not good with this stuff :-(

Hi sandy,

If a bone spur is wedged in the gum tissue, it is usually superficial and can be easily removed without making an incision. If the bone spur is attached to bone, then a small incision is made to get access to the spur. Do not be concerned about a dry socket. There is no chance of that happening when removing a bone spur unless the entire surgical area has to be opened and debrided..... which is rarely if ever done.

So what did the surgeon say at your post op yesterday?

Bryanna

Hi Bryanna, thanks for asking. He said 11 is healing well. I got the flipper today and I just got home. I tried it on (it is a hard acrylic that goes all the way around to the back right) and I can't form words properly. I am going to see how that goes, practice talking...I see a lot on the net telling you how to practice. This isn't a permanent solution but at least I don't look like a jack-o-lantern anymore. Will I ever sound normal..how long does it usually take to talk like we did before?

Hi sandy,

Great to hear that #11 site is healing well. Did the OS comment on the #2 site at all?

Getting use to a removable partial denture, or flipper in your case, can be a bit tricky. It should be worn for several hours at a time throughout the day. Your cheek muscles, your tongue, your palate, and the areas that are missing teeth have to adapt to something being there and this takes time. If you leave it out too often, then you will never get acclamated to wearing it and it will always have that stiff, awkward, pinching feeling. Once your mouth adapts to it, the bulkiness will go away and speaking and eating will be easier.

It is important to wear it enough to see where you may develop sore spots so your dentist can make the proper adjustments. If you only wear it once and awhile, the dentist cannot tell where it needs to be adjusted and he could end up ruining the fit completely.

I suggest to patients to put it in after breakfast in the morning and then don't take it out again until lunchtime. After lunch put it back in until dinner. After dinner put it back in until you go to bed. Leave it out while you sleep.

After about a week or two of that, then try eating one meal with it. Gradually work your way up to eating every meal with it. But always leave it out while you sleep so your oral tissue gets a rest. The mouth is a perfect place to develop a fungal infection so it is important to let the oral tissue breathe (not covered) while you sleep.

I find that this regimend works well for most people because it can become very frustrating if you try to make the partial work all at once rather than giving yourself time to break it in.

Also, make sure that you thoroughly brush your partial denture when you take it out of your mouth and before you put it in after it's been sitting for awhile. This also helps to lessen the chance of developing a fungal infection.

Bryanna ~'.'~