Afraid this pain will never go away

[crysania]

I can't remember exactly how many stitches. It seemed like maybe just 2 or 3 at the most. I didn't take too much time to look at it!

The OS told me that sometimes with more difficult extractions, a bit of the bone can be displaced. Usually it will meld back into the jaw but mine was stubborn and didn't move back. I get a second molar taken out next week and I'm worried I'm going to encounter the same thing with this one. Hoping it goes better this time around.

I admit the whole thing seemed kind of terrifying but it really in the end wasn't any worse than the tooth extraction (and to me, not as scary as I didn't have to worry about dry socket with it!). But it ended up not being nearly as bad as I imagined. It just extended the healing time by quite a bit.

 

[scnurse]

crysania,
thanks for sharing. I'm going to probably have to have mine shaved down, though I'm terrified to do so. Sending you positive thoughts about your upcoming procedure. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[crysania]

crysania,
thanks for sharing. I'm going to probably have to have mine shaved down, though I'm terrified to do so. Sending you positive thoughts about your upcoming procedure. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Thank you! If you do it, let me know how it goes! I'm definitely glad I had it in the long run as it was really quite painful and after the pain from the surgery went away it was much better.

I will also add that the procedure took very little time. I was there for only 15-20 minutes and half of that was waiting for my gums to be numb. The procedure itself was over in about 5 minutes or so.

And I feel you on the terrified thing. I've had a couple teeth extracted but both times opted to be put under. This is the first time I'll be awake for it and it scares the crap out of me. But I can't really afford the $600-800 to do it with the oral surgeon.

 

[scnurse]

Thank you! If you do it, let me know how it goes! I'm definitely glad I had it in the long run as it was really quite painful and after the pain from the surgery went away it was much better.

I will also add that the procedure took very little time. I was there for only 15-20 minutes and half of that was waiting for my gums to be numb. The procedure itself was over in about 5 minutes or so.

And I feel you on the terrified thing. I've had a couple teeth extracted but both times opted to be put under. This is the first time I'll be awake for it and it scares the crap out of me. But I can't really afford the $600-800 to do it with the oral surgeon.

How much did it cost to have the bone shaving procedure? (Or was it part of the original tooth extraction?) The OS who pulled my tooth said he would do it for free, but there is no way I'm going back there. I don't trust or have confidence in him. He never mentioned that I come back for a follow up and never told me about this bony protuberance. I knew something did not feel right but I thought it was the next molar that my cheek was getting hung up on. I was awake for the tooth extraction and it still keeps re-playing in my head. I don't know if I could do this bone shaving while being awake. Did you hear the rotary tool "Dremel" as they shaved it down?
I know what you mean about cost, I will have to pay out of pocket for another OS consult, my insurance only covers 1 exam in 6 month time frame.

 

[crysania]

I went back to the OS who did mine and it was free since it was caused by what they did. He was a good guy. But he wasn't the one who said anything about the bony protuberance. I went in to get my stitches out and asked about it. He felt it and said the bone had been displaced and USUALLY it goes back in, so he suggested waiting for a bit to see if it settles down and if not, he could shave it down. I called back over a month later because it hadn't gone down and they got me right in to take care of it.

I was awake for the procedure and yeah I heard the tool they used, but it was no worse than hearing the drill they use for fillings. It was actually less scary when he was doing it than the filling. I felt absolutely nothing, just heard the tool and then it was over.

Weirdly, I'm actually getting LESS scared of the dentist the more I go...I guess because it's all sucked so bad so it can't be worse right? LOL The only thing now is dealing with the extraction while I'm awake but my mother (who had several teeth extracted many years ago before they had any of the stuff they now -- thanks to getting punched in the mouth by a patient when she was in her 20s) says that it's not a big deal.

It's that whole "pressure" thing that freaks me out.

 

[Enarete]

Weirdly, I'm actually getting LESS scared of the dentist the more I go....

This is actually very common and the reason why several shorter appointments work better than one long one for nervous patients. Our brains love familiarity and it makes us less afraid.

Glad things went well with OS and that you didn't have to pay.

 

[MountainMama]

I went back to the OS who did mine and it was free since it was caused by what they did. He was a good guy. But he wasn't the one who said anything about the bony protuberance. I went in to get my stitches out and asked about it. He felt it and said the bone had been displaced and USUALLY it goes back in, so he suggested waiting for a bit to see if it settles down and if not, he could shave it down. I called back over a month later because it hadn't gone down and they got me right in to take care of it.

I was awake for the procedure and yeah I heard the tool they used, but it was no worse than hearing the drill they use for fillings. It was actually less scary when he was doing it than the filling. I felt absolutely nothing, just heard the tool and then it was over.

Weirdly, I'm actually getting LESS scared of the dentist the more I go...I guess because it's all sucked so bad so it can't be worse right? LOL The only thing now is dealing with the extraction while I'm awake but my mother (who had several teeth extracted many years ago before they had any of the stuff they now -- thanks to getting punched in the mouth by a patient when she was in her 20s) says that it's not a big deal.

It's that whole "pressure" thing that freaks me out.

I had to have my last extraction done without nitrous, and it terrified me! I asked my doctor if there was an oral sedative I could take, and she prescribed two low dose lorazepam pills. They are very cheap...we have a high deductible so pay out of pocket pretty much. The two pills cost me $2.50. I didn't even have to have a doctor's appointment. I just called and talked to the nurse who relayed the message for me.
That helped a lot! At the time, I didn't feel like it was making a difference, as I was completely aware, but looking back afterwards, I honestly don't remember the pressure sensations much. It seemed like it went really quick, and I wasn't as anxious.

Dental insurance doesn't cover much, does it? I would have preferred to have had my extraction and bone grafting done at the oral surgeon, but my dentist said he would refund me part of what I had already paid towards the crown that was supposed to go on that tooth if I got it extracted there.

 

[Getting Anxious]

Crysalia I hear you. I have been dealing with a root canal that was the result of a crown prep gone wrong. 3 weeks in pain from that, a root canal that needed 5 weeks in-between the 2 treatments and now I'm 3 days post-the final root canal treatment and so sore it's hard to be happy. I won't even mention the fact that I had a root canal on the other side at the same time so chewing is not an option at this point. I am so tired of it all that I am seriously planning on giving it a week and then having it extracted. Fortunately for me, money is not the problem- I've invested $2000 in that tooth already but I want my life back.

 

[Getting Anxious]

May I continue to vent? I have been told over the last 8 weeks that the tooth "needs time to settle" through the crown prep and root canal. I know people have been in pain longer than me and I respect that but I am so afraid to even go back to a dentist or endodontist. How much drilling and poking and digging can a tooth and gums take? That's why I figure it's better to just get rid of it. I am sorry to vent like this and I thank this forum to allowing me to do so. My family has been very supported but they must surely be getting tired of it as I am. On a medical note, my endodontist said that when he first treated the tooth, the area was "red and angry" and when he finished 3 days ago it was "just pink and and mad" Oh goody.

 

[crysania]

May I continue to vent? I have been told over the last 8 weeks that the tooth "needs time to settle" through the crown prep and root canal. I know people have been in pain longer than me and I respect that but I am so afraid to even go back to a dentist or endodontist. How much drilling and poking and digging can a tooth and gums take? That's why I figure it's better to just get rid of it. I am sorry to vent like this and I thank this forum to allowing me to do so. My family has been very supported but they must surely be getting tired of it as I am. On a medical note, my endodontist said that when he first treated the tooth, the area was "red and angry" and when he finished 3 days ago it was "just pink and and mad" Oh goody.

I so totally feel you on this. This whole mess has been going on with the right side of my mouth for over a year. Every time I think it's done, something crops back up again. What makes me MAD is that this one could have been prevented. When this whole thing started
last year, I had no idea where to go. I hated my old dentist, hadn't been in YEARS, and so just called up Aspen. I was in pain and the earliest appointment they could get me into was at an office about a 45-50 minute drive away. No big deal, they told me, I could transfer all my info over to the closer office after I was treated there.

So when I was at the oral surgeon last (in August), I asked him about this sensitivity and the bit of pain and a black spot on my tooth. He said the x-rays showed no cavity and he said it looks like the enamel has worn off. He suggested getting in and having them basically seal it so it couldn't erode further.

I called Aspen and they REFUSED to transfer my care to the new office. They were rude and then finally told me they'd "check into it" and call me back. They never did. And I'm ANXIOUS about phone calls and so I let it ride.

Naturally, it got worse. And now I'm losing the tooth instead of just getting it sealed because of them.

I refuse to go the root canal route. I would if it were a tooth you could see, but I just don't want to spend thousands on that only to find out it failed and I have to get it out anyway. I'm planning on doing all the cleanings, etc. so I don't have to go through this ever again.

 

[Getting Anxious]

Crysania , I, too, wish my dentist would have never put the permanent crown on- he did put t it with temp cement so it has been coming off and on with the root canal but it can't stay off for long according to my endodontist. I nearly hit the ceiling when the Dentist initially shoved that crown on and again, I heard the old it will settle line. - that didn't work. Now I have a slooow healing root canal and I'm afraid the crown is causing issues. Does anybody have an opinion on whether I should have the crown removed to help healing? I am very sad and anxious and confused.

 

[crysania]

Crysania , I, too, wish my dentist would have never put the permanent crown on- he did put t it with temp cement so it has been coming off and on with the root canal but it can't stay off for long according to my endodontist. I nearly hit the ceiling when the Dentist initially shoved that crown on and again, I heard the old it will settle line. - that didn't work. Now I have a slooow healing root canal and I'm afraid the crown is causing issues. Does anybody have an opinion on whether I should have the crown removed to help healing? I am very sad and anxious and confused.

So awful. I can't imagine! You might want to start a new thread so people see your question since it's not one I would have an answer to.

The whole "it'll settle" thing is frustrating. I'm glad they didn't give me that run around this time. Last year the SAME thing happened, with a filling that failed, and the dentist didn't even look at my mouth when I went in about the pain. He never x-rayed it or anything. Just told me that I could give it time to settle, but that it probably needed a root canal or extraction. At least this time they looked at it and NO ONE said it would settle. It was just "Yeah that needs a root canal or an extraction."

 

[Getting Anxious]

Thanks- I just did

 

[crysania]

So I had the tooth extracted last Thursday. It was...awful. lol Partially because I lost the numbness halfway through and then had intense pain. They had to shoot me up with more stuff and then let it sit for awhile. But it finally came out.

Healing has been going REALLY well. I've been keeping an eye on the extraction site and it looks pretty good.

Tonight I noticed the gums near the extraction site are suddenly white and a little weird feeling. Like, not even just right around it, but up on the gums above where the tooth next to it was. Is that...normal? I rinsed my mouth out with some salt water but it didn't go away. And I'm feeling a bit more pain, which is worrying me. This is the 4th day after the extraction and I've been steadily feeling better until this just started.

 

[Getting Anxious]

I may not be the one to advise you (I went to my PCP on Friday and got anxiety meds) but try to be positive. The fact that you are feeling better each day is a good sign - maybe the gum is just reacting to the trauma which is totally possible.

 

[crysania]

I'm trying to be! But it's strange to suddenly have more pain after a day of no pain. It's NOT dry socket because I can clearly see the blood clot still in there. This is more along the gums above the extraction site (and next to it), which is weird. I don't remember this happening before.

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Crysania,

I hope it starts to feel better again. Can you call them tomorrow or shoot a quick email to explain what is going on just for reassurment ? Maybe you can go in and just have them take a peak if its not better.?

 

[Getting Anxious]

Crysania, I agree about checking with the office. It will put your mind at ease. If not, you'll only get more stressed about it and that will not help your healing.

 

[crysania]

I think, in spending some time looking at it, that some of it was just a film from something. I was able to gently brush it off. But it looks like, of all things, I may have a canker sore way up in the gums. And I recall her not getting a good grip early on in the procedure or slipping and it accidentally drove something up into my gums. I thought nothing of it at the time but I am SUPER prone to canker sores (had a terrible one from the x-rays the week before). Unfortunately I gather that the hydrogen peroxide rinse that I use that helps get rid of them (called Peroxyl), is a no go with an open extraction site?

 

[Getting Anxious]

I wouldn't use it until you check with the OS. It might be too harsh. In fact, I just googled it and the results were NOT to use it after extraction.