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Sinus Lift Complications

S

Stever16

Junior member
Joined
Mar 4, 2021
Messages
3
Location
Milwaukee Wisconsin
I had 2 upper left side molar's extracted and a bone graft placed in the gum to prepare for a dental implant in the future about 4 weeks ago. After 48 hours of healing; I noticed when I drank liquids that I was feeling air coming through the wound and liquid was passing through as well. I went into my dentists office and he stated that I had a sinus perforation. He gave me local anesthetic and completed a sinus lift; he said there was a lot of infection that he cleaned out and he placed a mesh in my sinus cavity to close it up. I had so much pain and sinus pressure the week following so I was given Clindamycin instead of Amoxicillin and a few pain pills to help with the pain, X-ray showed a very small hole left that he said could be plugged with collagen if it didn't heal on it's own and just to let the site heal. A few days after the antibiotics were completed for the second time, I noticed pus/mucous coming from the wound and the sinus pressure was back in full force. I went back to the dentist where he examined and took x-rays and said it appeared to be healing well, just slowly, and it was "angry" He hesitated to do anything because he said it needs to heal properly. He suctioned the pus away and said we need to give it some more time. I started on another 10 day round of Clindamycin and the pressure went away, I felt great for those 10 days. Now that I am 3 days off my second round of antibiotics I am noticing a medium amount of sinus pain and pressure if I am not taking a decongestant, and I am tasting quite a bit of mucous, or what appears to be snot falling from the wound area. I called the dentist again who said that this was normal and that this will take 6-8 weeks to heal; I am maybe on week 5 I believe. Should I get a second opinion to look at this to make sure everything is healing properly? Is this normal after having a sinus lift procedure? I am concerned something is wrong in my sinus cavity that keeps causing this pain 5 weeks after the procedure. Do you think I should see an ENT? I have such anxiety from constantly calling my dentist office and I feel like they think I am overreacting but it just feels weird and uncomfortable and I am afraid of what will happen if it's left alone. The pressure and pain is very uncomfortable if I am not on Tylenol/ibuprofen and Sudafed or antibiotics. Help Please!
 
I hope one of the dentists on here jumps in and gives you some reassurance or advice.
I had a sinus perforation when I had an apico on an upper molar. The apico itself was rough to heal from, but the sinus pressure and congestion was awful for about two months. My endodontist said to take Sudafed and avoid anything that creates pressure in the sinus like blowing my nose, and open mouth sneeze if I have to sneeze. Mine wasn’t packed or anything but the hole in the gums was stitched so there was nothing leaking through. I remember how awful it was though. I don’t remember the congestion lasting as long as the feeling of pressure. That seemed to come and go. I did end up seeing an ENT, just for my own peace of mind, and he looked at my 3D x ray from the endodontist and said it should heal up on its own.
If you don’t feel like you are getting enough of an answer from your dentist, it never hurts to get a second opinion. Two rounds of clindamycin is a lot...that stuff made me sick with one round. Make sure you are taking some probiotics with them!
 
Thanks so much! Yeah I have an ENT scheduled for next week! Hoping it should clear up on it's own as well. I feel so bad taking Sudafed and Ibuprofen every day. I am trying to let it heal on it's own and have the ENT make sure everything else is OK with my sinus cavity. If it's not OK, I may be seeking out another oral surgeon. Just trying to give it time right now, which is difficult. Thanks so much for responding, I never even knew sinus lifts were a "thing" or that it could be so painful and uncomfortable. Hopefully the worst is behind me!
 
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