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Nerve Damage from wisdom tooth extraction??

2

2anxious

Junior member
Joined
Oct 2, 2008
Messages
11
Hi, i had my lower right wisdom tooth removed 7 days ago under GA. The oral surgeon who did it said before hand the tooth looked extremerly close to the nerve so nerve damage was a risk but in her 11 years experience she had never had a patient with permanant nerve damage from a wisdom tooth removal. However i dont seem to have much luck with hospitals and although i did go through with it this has been a worry for me because of it being so close.
Now 7 days later i still have total numbness to my lip, both outside and inside, chin,again inside and outside and also my teeth feel weird, like dull if that makes sense. I can feel my tongue but thats about it on that side of my mouth. At first i didnt worry as o kept thinking it would come back but there is still no sign of the feeling coming back.
I also keep getting occasional nerve like pain in my teeth on that side and very slight, very occasional tingling in my lip and in places on my chin.
I just want to know, after this long how likely it is that the feeling will come back or do you think this is permanant now, and if it is, is there anything they can do for it cos its horrible.
It feels just like after you've had a local at the dentist.
 
My friend had wisdom teeth out and the nerve was damaged causing symptoms similar to yours. It took 9 months for the feeling to fully recover in her face, but recover it did.

My advice, having suffered nerve damage myself, would be to get yourself to a doctor as soon as possible to ascertain the extent of the damage and to get treatment. You may need to see a neurologist, but I am no health professional.

Hope you get better soon.
 
I'm assuming you've been back to the OS since the operation? If not, then please get back to the oral surgeon ASAP.

Have you noticed any change at all since the surgery? Any change is a good sign. It's rare for these things to be permanent but they can take a fair old time to recover.
 
Hi, thanks both for your replies. I called the hospital yesterday and they told me to wait until the end of next week which will have been 2 1/2 weeks post op and if its no better to go to my GP. I dont have any post op check up at all at the hospital.
I didnt notice any numbness straight after the surgery just very mild occasional tingling sensations. Then the next day i noticed my jaw line and the area by my ear felt a bit numb which then spread to my lip and chin. I think it was the day after that i noticed the odd feeling in my teeth which got worse over the next couple of days. Then the numbness in my jaw line and by my ear went a few days ago and now i've noticed last night that i had pain in my chin, like a dull ache but also like a pressure pain and lots of tingling and that seems to be starting again now today.
I also still dont feel right in myself. I went to my GP on monday because i feel dizzy and he said it sounds like the inlamation from having the tooth removed has spread into my ear which is causing the dizziness but i still feel light headed now. I'm only taking paracetamol now and diclofenac. I thought it had been the co codamol causing it but i stopped taking that at the weekend. I am also still getting really sharp pains in my ear.
 
Maybe you should go back to your GP and get your ears checked out for infection? Some antibiotics may be in order.
 
The horrible tingling feeling is usually a good sign, that the nerve is beginning to recover. Also since the numbness didn't start immediately is also a good sign, the nerve wasn't damaged during the procedure but probably there has been swelling or internal bleeding causing pressure on the nerve and temporarily shutting down the nerve supply. As this is resolving, the feeling is coming back. Yay!

That's pretty abysmal treatment from the hospital. Name and shame them please, pm me if you'd rather.
 
Do not wait. Go to your GP straight away. Tell them you will go to A&E if they cannot give you an appointment.

Nerves are funny things and in my opinion should not be left unchecked when they are damaged.

The symptoms you describe are all symptoms that I have experienced recently after damage to my 7th cranial nerve. I was prescribed a drug used to treat nerve irritation and it did help. The sooner it is treated the better. don't put yourself through unnecessary pain and discomfort. Those pressure feelings are weird and frightening but they can be controlled.

I would see your doctor and possibly a neurologist to check your nerve is healing itself properly, but that is just my opinin based on my own experience.


H :-*
 
After having an impacted widsom tooth removed I suffered nerve damage exactly as you have explained. That was 3 months ago and it has almost gone. I must admit I think I would get your ear checked out, a course of antibiotics will sort out any infection.

I think that we forget that when we have teeth out it takes time for the body to recover and hopefully your numbness, like mine, will disappear given time.

:)
 
I just want to say that problems with your ear when suffering from nerve damage to the face are not necessarily an infection requiring antibiotics. I see this bandied about all the time as a reason for ear aches and the like following nerve damage.

I suffered nerve damage and my ear hurt like hell. It felt like someone was pushing a knitting needle down the ear canal. It also felt hot etc. but I was checked at least twice and it was NOT an ear infection it was related to the nerves.

My doctor explained that there are a bundle of nerves clumped together around the back of your mouth / ear area. If they are damaged, it can cause problems in the ear as they are very close to it. It doesn't always follow automatically that there is an infection. When nerves are damaged there are a whole plethora of strange sensations that you may experience before and as it heals.

H xx:-*
 
Hi...
Iam 28 yrs old.. I am having wisdom teeth problem .. Went for consultation to a dentist.. He took X-ray and said have to remove the teeth from the lower jaw.. He said an important nerve is near to the teeth so u ill have numbness for 2 to 3 days.. After that again he said may be 3 to 4 months but may be permanent numbness it's very rare.. We will do the best he said.. Tmrw he gave appointment for surgery... I am getting fear... I'm not able to sleep.. After Reading all of ur thread I am getting so much fear... Can't do anything... Please help
 
You and me both, Sonia. I'm 44 and have to get my bottom wisdom teeth out soon also. I'm terrified of nerve damage. Let us know how it goes with you. I hope it will all go well. You are not alone. I'm scared to death also.


Hi...
Iam 28 yrs old.. I am having wisdom teeth problem .. Went for consultation to a dentist.. He took X-ray and said have to remove the teeth from the lower jaw.. He said an important nerve is near to the teeth so u ill have numbness for 2 to 3 days.. After that again he said may be 3 to 4 months but may be permanent numbness it's very rare.. We will do the best he said.. Tmrw he gave appointment for surgery... I am getting fear... I'm not able to sleep.. After Reading all of ur thread I am getting so much fear... Can't do anything... Please help
 
Just want to add here... that I am so sorry that some of you have had nerve damage. I will be praying for you to heal very quickly. You have gone through with your extractions and are dealing with it so bravely. You are heros to me.
 
Just want to add here... that I am so sorry that some of you have had nerve damage. I will be praying for you to heal very quickly. You have gone through with your extractions and are dealing with it so bravely. You are heros to me.
Hi Sonia... My wisdom tooth extraction done on 17th.. Now third day from surgery I'm totally alright only having. Swelling in cheeks.. Due pain killer tablet no pain...


During surgery I was literally crying after giving local anaesthesia... Doctor was give positive thoughts and started the surgery... It take one and half hours for surgery very horrible but no pain for me.. But doctor was struggling to remove the strong deep rooted teeth.. He cut my teeth in two half n removed.. After surgery immediately take pain killer tablet I took after an hour so horrible pain after surgery... So Iam totally recovering from surgery... All the best for u....
 
Sonia... I'm so glad it is all over for you and that you are having a good recovery. :jump:
 
HI I was just wondering whoever posted this please get back to me. I am having the same problem as you mentioned. The dentist said when he pulled my bottom right wisdom tooth he there was a nerve that was pulled a bit. Please let me know how long it took for you to get better and feel you better?

Hi, i had my lower right wisdom tooth removed 7 days ago under GA. The oral surgeon who did it said before hand the tooth looked extremerly close to the nerve so nerve damage was a risk but in her 11 years experience she had never had a patient with permanant nerve damage from a wisdom tooth removal. However i dont seem to have much luck with hospitals and although i did go through with it this has been a worry for me because of it being so close.
Now 7 days later i still have total numbness to my lip, both outside and inside, chin,again inside and outside and also my teeth feel weird, like dull if that makes sense. I can feel my tongue but thats about it on that side of my mouth. At first i didnt worry as o kept thinking it would come back but there is still no sign of the feeling coming back.
I also keep getting occasional nerve like pain in my teeth on that side and very slight, very occasional tingling in my lip and in places on my chin.
I just want to know, after this long how likely it is that the feeling will come back or do you think this is permanant now, and if it is, is there anything they can do for it cos its horrible.
It feels just like after you've had a local at the dentist.
 
That can happen. I been told by my oral surgeon that I could have nerve damage for a bid and big jaw painsince Emmy teeth were so close of the jaw opening. I had pretty bad bruising. He did panic, so I'll go see my GP to see if she can find anything.
 
Hi I just joined the site.

I see that the thread is a bit old, but I had one of my impacted lower wisdom teeth pulled 5 days ago and am having very similar symptoms that you guys went through - my chin and lower teeth are numb. My OS said she saw the nerve as she pulled it.

I am curious if you guys recovered from the nerve damage and, if so, how long it took and what the experience was like. I am so terrified about this and would appreciate any experiences you could share.


Thanks
DF
 
Post-Surgery nerve damage or altered sensation
The above can occur from surgery and even from an injection of a local anesthesia but much less likely.
What should I do?
Contact the doctor immediately and expect to be seen promptly.
Care(in the states at least) is documenting the extent of the lesion which is helpful to monitor progression or lack of it. This information is used to decide upon microsurgical nerve repair.
Secondly a course of steroids is always given. The sooner the better.
 
Thank you for your reply, Dr. I started taking steroid my OS prescribed on Monday and am seeing her tomorrow. Are there any differences in recovering time between post surgery damage vs during surgery?
 
Hi dentalfear,

Have you recovered from the numbness after taking steroids. I amgoing to extract my right lower wisdom tooth next week and the xray showed the root is close to the nerve. I am sooo scared.
 
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