Sever Ear and Jaw Pain a Week After Extraction
 

Last Monday, 4/20, I had my back left molar taken out. I already have my wisdom teeth out, so I believe this is #17. For the last few days I have been experiencing intense pain in my lower jaw, up into my ear and into my head. I spoke with my dentist who had me come in to check for a dry socket. Upon examining he said the extraction isn't infected, there is no dry socket, and it is healing beautifully. He told me to give it a few more days and if the pain was still present to come back in.

I am wondering what is causing this pain and could something be wrong now that the tooth has been removed? I also had a bone graft done at the time of extraction because I had an abscess.

Any insight you can share would be greatly appreciated, I am a little concerned and basically living off of 1000mg of tylenol every 6 hours at this point.

Hi ssanzari,

I am in the dental field and can offer you some information here.

The lower left second molar is tooth #18, just so you know :)

Two things may be going on....

One is you could be having some TMJ issues in that the muscle that you use to open and close your mouth may have been over stretched during the extraction and it is inflamed and in a spasm. Or the muscle could be trying to relax from being in a spasm for the same reasons. This would cause the pain you are talking about. Did your dentist check your TMJ joint and check for unusual clicking of your jaw when you open or close?

Two, sometimes when a bone graft is placed in infected bone, the graft becomes infected and needs to be removed. Bone grafting is only suppose to be placed in healthy bone that has been thoroughly debrided of all diseased tissue and bone.

Did an oral surgeon or a general dentist remove tooth #18?

Bryanna

Hi Bryanna, thank you for your response! I had an oral surgeon remove the tooth, the same one who handled my wisdom teeth.

He didn't check for TMJ when I went back in yesterday to have him look at it. Should I schedule another follow up with him to take a look?

I've been feeling mostly ok today but within the last hour the pain has come back into my jaw and ear.

Hi ssanzari,

If your symptoms become worse or do not change for the better by the end of this week, then see him again.

In the meantime, to help relax your jaw muscle... only eat soft nutritious foods. Nothing chewy or sticky and nothing that requires you to open your mouth too widely. You can apply warm moist compresses to the side of your face covering from your jaw line to just above your ear. Moist heat is soothing, muscle relaxing and brings blood flowing freely to the area. Doing these things for the next few weeks can help the muscle to calm down.

Bryanna

Have they done a ct scan or blood work to see if the bone is infected? I had osteomyelitis in the lower jaw after an extraction. I went through dry socket and a month latter the dentist gave me antibiotics but it was to late. the Infection went into the bone and I have had health issue ever since. The pain was excruciating. I am a diabetic and would not wish what I have been through on anyone. If it does not get better ask them for blood work and a ct scan to see what is going on.