Scared - still numb for over 7 hours after extraction...HELP!

[dianajune]

I am new to this board and am hoping that someone can please help me. My dentist is new to me, and today's visit was the second one. The first was last week, at which time she prescribed antbiotics for a slight infection, which had to do with the tooth I had pulled today.

She gave me only three shots of novocaine, one of which was towards my jaw joint on the left. The tooth that was extracted was on the bottom left towards the middle.

It was a simple extraction. No stitches were needed and it took only a short time for her to remove it. But what's up with this numbness I still have hours after the fact?

My tooth was pulled between 2 and 2:30 this afternoon (Eastern time). Here I am, 10pm and still have alot of numbness. I'm starting to feel some pain in/near the socket, but my chin and lips are numb. It feels like it won't go away.

I called my dentist's after hours number. Several times. No response. I left a voicemail message on their main office number, hoping that maybe someone would call me back from there. Nope. I even filled out a patient contact form on their website in a desperate attempt to reach somebody.

As you can see, I am in panic mode. I can't get my dentist to return my calls and I am scared. Is it normal for numbness after novocaine to last this long? This never happened before.....even after a difficult extraction I had a few years ago for one of my molars. That one had to be drilled into bits and pieces to be removed. The novocaine, of course, didn't last long after that extraction.

This time it feels like it won't go away.

What should I do? Is this an emergency?

Should I ditch this dentist? Why should I do business with someone who won't return after-hours calls??? I made it clear that I was scared.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[brit]

Sorry for the lack of replies. Having done an invasive procedure especially it is reasonable for you to expect an 'after hours' number to work.
Hopefully you have got through by now. It will probably resolve in time but there are some medications they can give to help so it is something the dentist should take responsibility for monitoring.
If you get tingling then I understand that is a sign that the sensation is likely returning.

Hope you are already better by now.

 

[comfortdentist]

let us know

 

[carole]

I am just a fellow nervous patient and I don't know why you would still be numb but I have read on hear somewhere that sometimes it can happen. When I have had teeth out I usually take some painkillers before the numbness wears off. So if I were in your position I would take some painkillers now. If you are worried you can ring the nhs health line and get some information maybe. I am presuming you are in England. You can go on the nhs choices website also and ask on-line they give advise as well. I hope you feel better soon.