Horrible Tooth Extraction

[jasonp82]

Hi everyone,
I'm new here as I'm freaking out regarding a tooth extraction I had last Wednesday, the 19th. It was determined I needed a 3rd molar removed that never came through the gums. There was also a wisdom tooth sideways, possibly wedged against it but very close to it nonetheless. I had a consultation at the oral surgeon and screened them quite extensively as I've never had anything like this done before (have all my wisdom teeth other than this one that was extracted). They did a full mouth xay and it was noted they would need to break my wisdom tooth up as it was right with a nerve that ran along my lower jaw. I had some odd requests - I wanted to be awake, and I also required an anesthetic that did not have ephinephrine (not really related, but just putting everything out there)

The extraction, according to the doctor, was quite difficult. It took about 45 minutes. Obviously, I was awake. The doctor told me "no one in the country had it worse than you did today". They told me I'd be quite sore for several days and I was given five prescriptions.

When I got home, I thought they must have really given me a lot of anesthetic, because I was still partially numb in my lower left lip area. That's something that has never gone away. I still have only partial feeling there a week later. A week later, I still have horrible pain that I can trace back to the hole that is still healing, but it also seems to be really bad in the lower lip and radiates on the left side of my face as high as my temple and ear. I have been able to hear my heart beating in my left ear since the operation when the pain is present. My teeth and gums seem to hurt at times.

Today, for the first time, I was able to drink something without severe pain. The bouts of severe pain seem to come and go - days have been okay the last two days, night times have been very painful. When I went back for follow up yesterday, they took a look at it and said it looked like it was healing well and offered to put a plastic-looking piece in the hole but said it wasn't absolutely necessary, but I'd have to come back...and with my job, I didn't want to have to go back so I declined.

It was also mentioned that I likely have some nerve damage/irritation, which is still in the unknown right now given I still don't have complete sensation in my lower lip. They did some pricking, and I can feel everything, but it's just a really distorted feel. My lip was extremely bruised and injured when I left there and remains this way...and this is where the numbness is as well. My jaw (understandbly) is still very sore, and I cannot open my mouth very far. My throat is also bruised as they were pressing down trying to give me "chin support".

This is just not what I expected. While I am hoping that everything resolves once I am all healed up, I am worried to death... Has anyone ever dealt with this? Sometimes the pain is so great, I can't even tell if it's coming from my mouth or not. I can only assume it is though...

I am just frustrated as it appeared during the consultation and required extra x-ray, there was a plan in place...but I noticed the x-ray was not pulled up until half way through the process when complications were evident. I'm just praying this is just slow healing from a bad procedure and it's nothing more...

 

[Dr M]

Good day

With a difficult extraction, especially a lower tooth, there is a higher chance of dry socket formation. I am sure that the oral surgeon should have mentioned the risks of dry socket formation to you, prior to the extraction. Usually for a dry socket, you need to to back to the surgeon, so that the area can be cleaned out.
The partial numbness could be because of 2 reasons.
1) If the molar was indeed close to the inferior alveolar nerve, the nerve could have sustained " bruising " or damage, due to the extraction process. This is a common risk. It takes time for the feeling to return, Sometimes it takes a few weeks, sometimes a few months.
2) Alveolitis or infection of the socket, could lead to partial loss of feeling in the area, until the infection is cleared.

My advice would be to go back to the surgeon for a follow-up visit.

 

[jasonp82]

Hi there Dr M. I did actually go back for a follow up visit on Tuesday. They said it appears to be healing well and offered to put a plastic-looking thing in the hole, but said I would need to come back and said it wasn't absolutely necessary. I declined. I was glad to hear it was healing well at least. They did clean it out. Though they said the symptoms of tinnitis, and pain in the ear on the left side, etc were not normal, they said I should come back in a month. So I guess it's kind of wait and see as of right now. I just hadn't ever spoken to anyone who dealt with symptoms quite like this before.

 

[Dr M]

Sometimes patience is all that is required. Our bodies can sometimes heal quite nicely by itself.

 

[jasonp82]

I hope you are right! I have figured out where the numbness-lack of sensation is. It is definitely the mental nerve.

 

[Dr M]

Most likely it is the inferior alveolar nerve, especially when it was injured during a 3rd molar extraction. The inferior alveolar nerve does also supply the lip on the associated side.

 

[jasonp82]

Thank you so much for the information. I know it's just basically a watch and wait game at this point as I am still healing. As I mentioned, the procedure was not easy (their words). Is it normal to still be in pain? I still have two healing holes in my mouth, from each tooth. So I can see why I'm still in pain, and I believe I won't be eventually but it will be 2 weeks since the operation in a couple of days. When I went back before, they offered to put a plastic-like piece in one of the holes but advised it wasn't 'required'. It just seems like everyone else I've known was not in pain after a few days! I am going to try to attach a photo... I hope it's not too scary. On the right side, there is a "crack" in my gums...this leads to hole #1, which was one of the teeth extracted under the gums. The other hole is obviously the wisdom tooth.