Pain two weeks out

[Sgb]

June 17 Removal of bottoms with aveoloplasty and removal of one upper tooth fragment left from top extractions two years ago I thought it was a bone spur. Nope. Original surgeon left part of a tooth.

Stitches fell out a week ago. By day 3 I had to remove my immediate due to it cutting into my gums from being too long and too narrow.

Surgical pain is mild and manageable. Pressure wounds and cuts from denture still very painful. I cannot do NSAIDS so Motrin is not an option.

I'm doing salt water rinses and peroxide rinses. The pain makes me want to cry. Given I've had a weepy week so maybe that's why the pain makes me want to cry. I don't know. I just know it didn't hurt this bad the first time and I just need it to stop.

 

[Molar_bear]

Hi sgb,

So sorry to hear you are struggling with the pain and getting upset by it. It dosent sound like a very nice experience. I’m not quite sure of how long pain might last following your treatment, but I feel if the pain is very painful you should consider contacting the dentist to ask if there is anything that may help or needs checking. Here to offer more support if needed.

Best wishes, molar bear ?

 

[Sgb]

We are almost at a month out. Ulcers still there. I have not been able to wear either denture. My tops were removed a few years ago but they left half a tooth in my mouth so the surgeon removed that while doing the bottoms this time.

Yesterday I put my top plate in. It brushes against my bottom gums where the ulcers are and it causes the one spot they removed the half tooth from to be sore.

I cannot put my bottoms in at all still. It's sore there and inflamed where the ulcers are. And in front where my frenulum used to he is still red and swollen. I also have intermittent bone pain which I expected, but on top of everything else...ugh.

This is becoming a very frustrating process. And the inability to chew makes it impossible to keep to my diet for my stomach issues. This has caused me to be taken to the ER from work.

I've been back to surgeon. He says I'm healing great and to give it time. I need my body back. Everything about this is problematic now.

 

[AnotherFriendlyDentist]

Hi,

I'm really sorry you're experiencing so much pain. Having the dentures in can really aggravate already tender, healing gums.

Have you consulted with whomever made your denture(s)? If sockets are covered by early healing tissue (and this should be the case at this point), they might be able to place a soft liner material to cushion impact on those gums. Sometimes, the soft reline can provide a lot of relief.

Hope this helps.

 

[Sgb]

I've had that before with my tops. The problem isn't the new tissue. It's the ulcers from when I wore the immediate denture. They simply won't heal. I have no jaw ridge left from the aveoloplasty either so I'm not sure how they will shave down and adjust it. I can't even swallow without my tongue brushing against the pressure ulcers and causing intense pain.

 

[AnotherFriendlyDentist]

Yes, the new tissue is a good thing. It seals the socket so you don't have to worry about soft liner chemicals getting into your systemic circulation through the sockets.

Typically if you have no vertical height on your lower jaw ridge, the only way to stabilize the denture to minimize sliding and friction is implant retention but that's very expensive, unfortunately.

 

[Sgb]

The surgeon wants me to wait for implants. He wants the bone to heal first. I'm fine with that. I just need these ulcers to heal. It's been a month now they should at least be decreasing in size. They aren't. My intubated patient oral sores heal quicker than this at extubation. I'm not as sick as they are.

 

[Sgb]

Just felt like sounds seemed awfully hard against my tongue and reached in to feel them. They literally tap against my nail. I tried to get a photo of one side...could this be exposed bone where the gum hasn't healed over? Would my surgeon have missed that when I went back with pain? I thought it was pressure sores but could the immediate have pulled the sutures apart there and what I thought was a mucosal wound actually be wound dehiscence?

Photo below. I tried to crop and zoom as best as I could. Selfies of your own mouth are hard.

 

[Gordon]

It looks more like an ulcer than wound dehiscence. Either way it's going to take some time to heal. Are you still trying to wear the immediate denture? If so take it back to get it adjusted since that would be my best guess as to the culprit.

 

[Sgb]

No. I won't even attempt it until they heal.

 

[Gordon]

Can you get hold of some Difflam mouth rinse? Benzydamine Hydrochloride is the generic name for it, you might find rinsing with that a few times a day will help give some relief and promote healing.

 

[Sgb]

I can ask. I've never heard of it. I've been using a peroxide mouthwash for sores and benzodent. But the benzodent just burns.

 

[Gordon]

I'd stay clear of the peroxide too. If you can't get Difflam then Chlorhexidine (Corsodyl) might work nearly as well.

 

[Sgb]

I've not seen CHG solution over the counter. Do I need an RX for it?

 

[Sgb]

Tonight pain seems increased in my bone where my one tooth had broken off below the bone. That area is red too. I'm going to cry like a toddler if there is a sudden infection.

My body is rebelling right now. I've just been put on short term disability for weird Neuro issues, I've been hospitalized for erosive gastritis three weeks before surgery. I woke with complete laryngitis today (no pain really unless I try to talk above a whisper but more discomfort than anything even then). And now my pain is getting worse.

Still not wearing denture. My lower jaw feels bruised in that area again suddenly like it did in the week after surgery. My TMJ is acting up from not wearing my denture, and my lower jaw actually looks a tad swollen today.

It's just one thing after another and I'm tired. I'm starting to not want to get posts for snap ins later. Once I get through this it should be no more dental pain. So I don't regret it. I'm just losing my cool about everything going on with my body and it's making me a mental mess.

 

[Gordon]

I've not seen CHG solution over the counter. Do I need an RX for it?

That probably depends on your state legislation. I don't know the laws in your state.

 

[Sgb]

I went back yet again. The gel he ordered was not a gel and his receptionist argued with me until I finally convinced her that a peroxide rinse makes no sense to order since I'm already using one. A lot of eye rolling. I am probably going to contact the office manager about it. Advocating for ones self should not be met with disdain and eye rolls and THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOUR DOCTOR ORDERED!

Uh...then why did he show me a gel?

Turns out she was wrong. When she finally spoke with the doc he gave her a gel. It was a yellow and gray tube though not the blue and white tube he showed me so again I got the this is what your doc ordered speech and just took it and left in frustration.

He did send a CHG rinse to my pharmacy though. THAT has made a difference. It tastes horrible. Way too minty. Clear the sinuses minty. Now I know why my intubated patients fight it so bad.

Two days ago q huge scab fell off both sides and there was sudden significant relief. It's still a little sore but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My only conundrum now is I'm having some Neuro issues and not allowed to drive. My denturists is 45 minutes away and he has to adjust it before I wear it again. Hmmm.

 

[Sgb]

So upset after my appointment to finally get my denture adjusted. I want to cry. They are telling me instead of a rounded edge my surgeon left me with sharp corners after aveoloplasty and that the denture will always hurt unless I get it repaired.

They are telling me I have to go back in for more surgery.

Not only can I STILL not eat properly for my GI issues, I am on short term disability due to Neuro issues. How am I going to afford another surgery? I can't fathom starting the healing process all over again.

I have a call to my surgeon. The denturists wants me to meet with HIS surgeon.

I can't afford either and can't safe money going local. I react to the Novocaine. I get way too tachy from the epinephrine and lidocaine. Like cardiac issues long before either should affect my heart. No it's not panic. It's whatever is going on with my body (Neuro is just one of many specialists I've been working with).

I'm just so frustrated and upset today. I wish I never had them removed.

 

[Gordon]

Don't need to have lidocaine with epi, there's plenty of completely chemically different locals.
The story about the alveoplasty sounds a bit odd.
Perhaps a short term reline of the denture with a tissue conditioner would make it bearable and give the tissues a chance to start healing?

 

[Sgb]

They tried that and getting the soft reline to set was so painful I almost vomited. They kept shoving it and wouldn't let up in spite of me gasping and wincing in pain.

The other issue is I have a huge underbite with it. I thought that was post op swelling at first but two months out it should not still be the case.

It's been a frustrating medical week all around. I think I just need a good cry.