I had an upper molar tooth extracted (it was complicated - did not come out in one piece) on Oct. 2 by a periodontist. He also placed an implant in that spot on the same day. At day 10, I was in pain and saw a different periodontist who said an x-ray of the area showed bone loss. He had me come back every 3-4 days for an x-ray and by the 3 week point, he said the bone was looking better. However, I was still having constant pain and a squeezing feeling and feeling like something was there that wasn't. Finally they removed the implant and did a bone graft in the area. Things got worse after that for about 1 week, then slowly started to get better, but now at the 6 1/2 week point, I am having problems again. I again now have a constant ache in the area, some soreness and maybe "burning," and what I think is some lack of sensation in the area - still feels like something is there that's not. I can feel pain inside my left cheek all the way up to the area where the implant was placed/removed with the worst pain at the extraction site. The pain gets worse when I lie down, bend over, and move around alot. Basically, I "feel" that side of my face all day.

I've been to a neurologist (per the periodontist's request) and he wasn't very helpful - just right off the bat, without talking much or examining me, he said that I had "jaw and nerve pain from the dental surgery," though he wrote Trigeminal Neuralgia on the receipt. I also saw an oral surgeon who did a full x-ray and said the bone looks good. The oral surgeon did not think TN was a good diagnosis as he said I would have much more severe pain than I told him I had.

I also went to see an ENT doctor to confirm I didn't have a sinus perforation from the dental surgery. He used a scope to look in my nose and said that he didn't see any mucous buildup and did not suspect sinus perforation, but to come back in 4 weeks (that would be this upcoming week) if the pain wasn't gone and he would order an x-ray of the nasal cavity.

I know that my mouth has been through alot these past 7 weeks, and I would expect it to take awhile to heal, but the hardest part is that there isn't clear agreement about what is going on at this point. The neuro says TN and the oral surgeon says no. Yesterday was a very bad day in terms of discomfort. Today isn't great, but not quite as bad. I have a high tolerance for pain, but one can only take so much.

The neuro did prescribe Neurontin for me, but I am very hesitant to take this strong med without a firm diagnosis and also because I rarely take meds due to the fact that I am very sensitive to them and have bad reactions and side effects.

I apologize for such a long introduction email. I'm glad to have found this site and appreciate any advice and/or insight. Thanks.

Hi Imcat6 and welcome to NeuroTalk. Here is a link to our Dental forum...

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=89

that might be a good place to start. I'm sorry for all the pain you are having.

Neurontin might be a way to determine if you pain is from the nerves or not. I know we are very sensitive to meds at times, but if you're able to take it and not have to drive, in case you get dizzy or groggy, you might want to try it. Do you have any clicking or popping in the joint? Did anyone mention TMJ? They're positive you have no infection? I would go back to the doctor who said to come back, to see if he sees anything new. I would also express my frustrations with being told different things by different docs, and see what he says.

I hope you feel better soon.

Imcat,

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Great to see you have come to be with us. You will find a great number of caring, supporting members here willing to help each other as they can.

I see Alffe has given you a link to get started on. Hope to get some relief from the pain soon.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene

Hi, lmcat6! Welcome to NeuroTalk!

Thanks to everyone for replying to my post!!

Alffe: Thanks for the link to dental forum. Somehow I missed that forum. I have just posted there.

Knitgurl: I do have TMJ, but no issues with popping or jaw pain like I usually get with TMJ, so I don't think that is the problem right now. The pain I am having is pain that I have never had before - aching, burning, combined with that incredibly weird feeling that something is in my mouth in that area, but there't nothing there. It might be some lack of feeling. My ENT today ordered a CT scan of my sinuses (as he mentioned to me 4 weeks ago) and I am doing that tomorrow. At the very least, it will be good to make sure that the surgery didn't harm my sinuses at all.

Thanks again for replying!

It's now 2010..and I want to know how you are doing! Has your mouth healed?? Please let me know...I just had an upper molar extracted, with a bone graft and skin graft..so I am in agony from the skin graft (which was skin taken from my cheek, stretched out over the extraction site...very painful..)
Please let me know how u are doing...
U can email me directly anytime, as well..
Sincerely,
Kimberly (**)