Is it normal to still have pain two weeks after wisdom teeth extraction?

[Kat75]

Sorry, it's me again.

Today it's exactly two weeks since my surgery and I still have pain. Nothing unbearable, and I don't have to take painkillers, but it still hurts.

I am still on a soft diet, because on the couple of occasions I have tried eating something "proper", it just hurt too much. The most solid thing I have managed to eat is a very soft sandwich with soft cheese; other than that I survive on fruit juices, smoothies, soup, mashed potatoes and yoghurt. Not very nutrious, I know, but what can you do? I try adding different bits of fruit to get vitamins and even bought some vegetable juice(yuk!).

What I want to know is: Is this normal? You hear and read about people who are back to normal within a few days and I still don't feel quite right.

I am 32 years old, and the oral surgeon did say the teeth were difficult to remove, but I was just wondering how much longer this is going to carry on. I wish I could eat nice things again, lol.

Oh, and also I still have sutures on my bottom right extraction site. They are supposed to be dissolvable, and all the other ones have disappeared, so should I be worried?

As always, thank you so much for any advice.

Katx

[Zzzdentist]

Although not common, it can be normal to still have some tenderness after two weeks. If you are concerned, go see your dentist to check it out or call them about it. Most dissolvable sutures should have come out by now, but some can be a bit persnickity if there's such a word. If it's just hanging around loose and not doing much, you can take a pair of fine nail scissors and snip it out. If you're not that dextrous, then you could always drop in at the dentist for a looksee and have it removed. It takes all of about 3 seconds.

[Kat75]

Thanks Zzzdentist!

I actually phoned up the Oral Surgeon's office yesterday afternoon and they asked me to come in today.

I just hope they don't think I'm a hypochondriac! I don't want to be a nuisance.

Thanks for your advice and time, as always

Katx

[Kat75]

Hi Zzzdentist,

just thought I'd quickly let you know how I got on today.

The oral surgeon took a look at my extraction sites and said unfortunately things haven't healed as well as he would have liked by now. He gave me a syringe to flush out the holes and asked if I needed any more painkillers(which I didn't).

He said unfortunately there is not a lot we can do other than wait and let things heal. He also said to call him or pop in again if I have any more questions or want him to check things out, which was nice of him.

So I guess I'll just have to bear with it.

Thanks again for your reply.

Katx

[Zzzdentist]

Thanks for reporting back. Yep, some more difficult extractions can leave a bit of a spot that takes longer to heal and as such can have some lingering pain. Hoooopefully with the syringe and time it will all gradually get it's act together and heal right up!

[Kat75]

I really feel like I'm going out of my mind here.

It's been nineteen days since I've had my wisdom teeth removed(one upper, two lower), and I've had a lot of problems with the healing, even though I've done everything by the book.

Saw the oral surgeon nine days after the extractions and he placed a dissolvable dressing in the lower left socket(the biggest hole).

Then went back last Thursday, because I was still in so much pain and discomfort. He said things haven't healed as well as he'd liked and gave me a syringe to help flush out the holes.

I still use salt water religiously and am still on a mainly soft diet.

What really drives me nuts is that for the past few days, my upper extraction site has been hurting like mad. What is going on?? From what I've heard developing a dry socket on the upper jaw is very unlikely, plus given all the time that has passed since the surgery, it couldn't be that anyway?

I really don't know what to do anymore; I mean I can't keep going back to the oral surgeon constantly, but at the same it feels like I'm going backwards.

Katx

[Gordon]

To be honest, the only sensible thing to do is to go back to the OS, there are a few things that could be causing this, but only somebody actually looking into your mouth and with access to x-rays can really help out. Sorry.

[Kat75]

Thanks for your reply Gordon.

I don't suppose you could tell me what sort of things COULD be causing the pain?

I appreciate it's difficult to determine without an examination, but I just feel so stupid going back to the oral surgeon all the time.

Katx

[Gordon]

I could, but without seeing you it would be a wild stab in the dark and could cause you more worry than it would relieve.

The surgeon seriously won't mind seeing you again, a follow up fee is generally built into the overall fee they charged to do the case. Personally I'd be really upset if one of my patients was in pain and was too embarrassed/scared to come and tell me about it.

[Kat75]

Thanks Gordon, I guess you're right.

The oral surgeon is really nice, and he did say when I saw him last Thursday to phone or come to see him if I have any more pain or even questions, but I don't want to become one of those annyoing patients you can't get rid of.

Plus it's difficult getting hold of him on the phone; the last time the woman at the reception asked me why I wanted to speak to him, and when I told her, she said "I'll put you through to scheduling then so you can make an appointment"

Also I'm starting to wonder if there's something wrong with me. I'm doing everything by the book, so why the heck am I not getting better? I know being 32 probably puts me into a higher risk category, but I remember one lady I used to work with who was in her early forties and she had all four out and was back at work two days later.

Thanks again for your reply

Katx