Jaw Pain
 

For the past year I have had pain in the lower left jaw (middle tooth and back tooth), and the upper left jaw (back tooth) as well as the area under the lower teeth. Nothing showed on x-ray (or dental CT scan) for months. I finally had the upper tooth pulled; 2 months later the middle lower tooth pulled (thereby losing the bridge), and a month later the back tooth. I now have no teeth behind the eye tooth and am still in alot of pain. An ENT thought I had a stone in my salivary gland, but surgery where a scope was inserted into the duct proved otherwise. I want to know if you have ever heard of jaw bone infection (not shown on x-ray) in patients who had bad teeth, vast dental work including root canals and infections over the years (the middle tooth was finally infected before it was taken out). I have heard of this from several sources and the jaw bone had to be scraped down past the infection since it seems extremely difficlult to clear an infection of the bone. HELP! By the way, the upper two back molars (in front of the one that was pulled in January) hurt too although I do get referral pain and have no way of knowing if that's what it is. Nothing shows on x-rays for any of this. THANKS!

Hi Salina,

All root canaled teeth are chronically infected. This infection will spread from the tooth to other areas of the mouth. The infection is also being carried by the blood vessels in the mouth to other areas of the body. So infected teeth can cause not only mouth pain, but other illness as well.

Unfortunately, traditional dentists rarely inform their patients about the extensive risks associated with root canaled teeth. They also are so use to seeing infected root canaled teeth that they just assume the pathology on the xrays is "typical" or "common" instead of harmful. It sounds like you've had chronic infections going on in your mouth for quite some time and it would not be unusual for the infection to now be residing in your jaw bone.

It can be very difficult to eradicate the infection in the bone because it hides in all the nooks and crannies of the bone. The infection also proliferates further than the bone, so eliminating it for good, cannot be done sometimes.

Have you sought care other than in the traditional manner? There is an organization of doctors, dentists, and other practitioners that think more openly than the mainstream and understand this type of situation more clearly. Their website is IAOMT.org. I would look into seeing someone who belongs to that organization to see what they have to say about this.

I'm sorry you are suffering so badly.... I see this every day.... I just wish people were better informed by their dentists prior to having any dental work done.

Please keep in touch here..
Bryanna

Hi Bryanna, Thanks SO much for your reply to my email. I went to IAOMT as you suggested and from there to a link for a maxillofacial center which provided alot of info on NICO (neuralgia inducing cavitational osteonecrosis) and for the first time found info for what I think I have. I'm now trying to find out about treatment and who may be able to help me. I'll keep you posted, but at least now I know I'm not crazy or alone!! THANKS!

Hi Salina,

Glad you found some help!! I know how frustrating this can be. ALL dentists are "somewhat" educated in how to recognize cavitations. However, they are not properly trained on how to take care of them because it can lean into a medical problem which they generally shy away from as much as possible. So many dentists will just prescribe pain meds... and root canal one tooth after another.... and eventually the patient just goes away very frustrated. That's why it's important to seek help from a dentist who UNDERSTANDS the complexities of oral cavitations and that is when the IAOMT is helpful.

Please keep us in the loop .... pray that you are able to find someone you can trust to treat you properly.

Bryanna