1 week post extraction complications

[Smiller]

Hello. I've been browsing the forum for quite some time. I find a lot of comfort here.

Recently I decided to get a back molar extracted. The filing from when I was a kid cracked, but most of the tooth cracked as well, making it unusable for a root canal and simple extraction. I had to go to an oral surgeon to remove it. Once I'm there the oral surgeon days my wisdom teeth need to go. I have no idea why, been impacted since I was a kid, never had a problem. But I decided to get all 4 removed and the bottom molar next to the wisdom tooth.

It's been a week as of thrusday (9/7). My jaw still hurts, I still have some inflammation on the inside of my mouth, and I can't feel half of my tongue. It's 24/7 numb on the right side. I called the dentist on day 4, it was a holiday weekend so it took some time but I told him I'm still in pain and my tongue is numb.

The pain is minimal at this point, which is good. I can't open my jaw to wide without pain, but I can at least eat semi solid food. He mentioned that on Friday when I have my check up, he may put me on anti-inflammatory medicine. At this point I think I need it, but I'm just concerned as to why he wants to wait for the appointment to start a prescription if it could help me gain feeling again in my tongue. What type of medicine is this typically and what are the side effects. I was thinking it would be like ibuprofen, which was in my pain killer prescription of vicodain/ibuprofen. Also, if that didn't help with pain or swelling, how would more help or is there more powerful types?

At this point I'm pretty upset that I may never regain feeling in my tongue again. I'm also upset that I still have some pain when opening my jaw. Is there something I should do to ease the pain? What should I ask the doctor about regarding pain and my tongue?

 

[drm]

The jaw pain a week later isn't unusual. The type of injection needed to anesthetize the lower wisdom teeth causes some trauma to the muscles you use for opening and closing your jaw. If this is what is causing your jaw pain, it should resolve in the next week or so. Depending on the difficulty of the extractions for the wisdom teeth you may also have some additional inflammation where those teeth came out. Again, this should resolve in the next couple of weeks. I'd recommend 600-800 mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours for it's anti-inflammatory effect (as long as you don't have any GI or kidney problems). You usually don't get the anti-inflammatory effect with ibuprofen until you get up to the 600-800 mg dosage.

The residual numbness with your tongue is a rare but not totally uncommon complication of a lower wisdom tooth extraction. The good news is that that about 90% of cases go away on their own within 6-12 months. The nerve just needs some time to heal. There's not really a definitive treatment for this other than giving it time.

 

[Smiller]

Thanks. I did not know about the dosage requirement for anti-inflammatory properties on ibuprofen. That is helpful. The other question I have is could the nerve be fine, and it's just the swelling pressing on the nerve blocking the signal, or is it the numbness linked only to damage and patience is the only key?

 

[carole]

I had all my wisdoms out some years ago and like you I had some swelling and stiffness for about two to three weeks after I also had the tongue thing and it did clear up within about 6 to 9 months. It did feel strange and I felt I didn't have full control of my tongue but nothing bad happened and I managed to eat and talk normally until it stopped. It has been fine since and that has been nearly 30 years now.

 

[Smiller]

Thanks. Just a quick update. I'm on steroids for the next week. This has helped the swelling significantly. I also feel pins and needles type of feeling once in a while now, which I was informed is a good sign. I'll keep this updated just in case, but it's good to know that others have gotten feeling back even if it took 6 months to a year. The alternative would be facial nerve reconstruction surgery which I'm not sure I would go through with as I would be worried about further complications from that procedure.

 

[carole]

The steroids will help a lot. Is it the ones that you take 6 of each day for the week then you are done. If so they are good, you know that you have to inform dentists, doctors and anyone treating you that you have taken them for a year after you have stopped don't you.

I hope you feel better soon

 

[Smiller]

Really? I didn't not know that. Yes it's 6 pills the first day, 5 the next, 4, 3, 2 ,1. It has definitely helped with swelling. I can almost open my jaw all the way now, just a little pain. Also, I think I'm getting more sensation, but it's hard to tell or quantify.

Thanks for the responses! It's making me feel less stressed.