UPDATE #11: Any Dentists/Oral Surgeons?? HELP!!!!

[drgnfly30]

I posted the other day about what we thought was going on with DH's dental issue but it's only gotten worse...

The background; he went to a Periodontist about a month ago for treatment for gingivitis & had a tooth extraction, since that time he's had a couple of infections that were treated with antibiotics. Last Friday he left work in severe pain, swollen mouth, what he thought was a piece of tooth or root poking through his gum and a sore on the bottom of his tongue from what he thought caused by the abrasion from the 'root'. He went to the Dentist on Monday & they indicated that he had a abscess & that it was part of his jaw bone, not a root or piece of tooth, exposed!!! YIKES that FREAKED me out!! They referred him back to the Periodontist today. He just called me from their office saying that it is not an abscess, they don't know what it is & referred him back to our primary care Doctor (not Dentist) for a referral to either a Eye, Nose & Throat specialist or an Oral Surgeon. He is in severe pain, mostly his tongue, swallowing etc... He's having difficulty eating & to make matters worse it is Friday afternoon before a Holiday weekend AND we leave on vacation in two weeks...

I've searched the Internet & keep coming up with things associated to a Fosamax Class Action Suit (he's never been on it) and more concerning Cancer.... Please anyone have any idea what to do next?! He feels like no one is helping or knows how to! And I'm so concerned I'm feeling sick to my stomach....

 

[lsyorke]

Call an oral surgeon! That is where I would start. If there is bone sticking up them there must be a fracture in the jawbone(IF this is what they are seeing). I can't imagine the periodontist just sending him away. That is ridiculous! If you can't get an oral surgeon to see him today I would head to the Er.

 

[drgnfly30]

It's not sticking up, it's just like the skin of the gum 'wore away'.. but it's rough enough to cause him discomfort on the underneath of his tongue (at least I HOPE that is all the sore is..) He's supposed to see our PCP right now so I'm hoping she will take it seriously enough to either arrange to get him into an oral surgeon today or send him to the ER...

 

[AllyandJack]

Call an oral surgeon.

Back in 1999, I had what I thought was an impacted wisdom tooth. I went to a dentist who did extractions. He did the panoramic x-ray and discovered a large tumor growing on my jawbone. He tells me he's going to remove it and, as a result of this, it is going to sever my facial nerve and I was going to lose feeling in my tongue, lower lip, and all along the left side of my lower jaw/gum/teeth. He said I'd have to come back to him every week for 6 months so he could pack the open wound with anti-bacterial gauze. Oh, and it might be cancer, but probably not. I RAN out of there in a panic.

I called an oral surgeon and he did a different procedure on me. I didn't have to lose the feeling in my face because his treatment never touched my facial nerve. It wasn't cancer.

Has he had a panoramic x-ray? Has he had his wisdom teeth out? My tumor was pushing my wisdom tooth out and, if I didn't go for help, it would have snapped my jaw bone. Go to an oral surgeon at a major hospital in your area. I learned that regular dentists who also do extractions simply aren't qualified to handle big stuff like this.

 

[drgnfly30]

He has had a panoramic but the peridontist wanted a full set?? not sure what the difference is... I presume nothing out of the ordinary was noted... Yes he has had all of his wisdom teeth out, several years ago...BTW the exposed bone is not on the top of the gum but on the interior side of his gum... below where the recent tooth extraction was....

 

[Poohgirl]

I have a couple small extra bone pieces in my mouth around that same area. One broke loose once, about the size of a grain of rice, tooth like. Until it surfaced I had a infection, pain, swelling, a raw spot on my gum that wouldnt heal, it wanted to come out it just couldn't find its way. Dr. sent me to Dentist, back to Dr. back to dentist for 3 weeks until one day I could see it and was able to get it out. Not that I wish that pain on your husband, but I hope it may be something as simple as a small piece of tooth fragment lodged it there causing all his big trouble. Best of luck.

 

[rascalmom]

You must be so frustrated! I remember your original post & we I didn't see a follow-up I was hoping that everything was okay.

Have they done a Panoramic since the problem started - an older one is not going to do any good. The dentist needs to see what is going on NOW. A "full set" are the individual x-rays of the teeth, but the pano would be need to see what is going on with the jaw bone.

I can't believe the periodontist blew him off like that. Get the name of a good oral surgeon from your dentist & try to get in to see them asap. If you can't get in before the weekend, some hospitals will have an oral surgeon on call. Call them & ask if they have someone on duty.

 

[rascalmom]

You must be so frustrated! I remember your original post & when I didn't see a follow-up I was hoping that everything was okay.

Have they done a Panoramic since the problem started - an older one is not going to do any good. The dentist needs to see what is going on NOW. A "full set" are the individual x-rays of the teeth, but the pano would be needed to see what is going on with the jaw bone.

I can't believe the periodontist blew him off like that. Get the name of a good oral surgeon from your dentist & try to get in to see them asap. If you can't get in before the weekend, some hospitals will have an oral surgeon on call. Call them & ask if they have someone on duty.

 

[AllyandJack]

If they think it's part of the jaw, don't let anyone but an oral surgeon help you. You don't want to mess around with those nerves. If it was a tumor like I had, it should show up on the panoramic. They said mine took about 10 years to grow, which is why I am now a HUGE advocate for getting these panoramics every few years or so.

I hope your PCP gets him to a good oral surgeon fast so you can enjoy your vacation.

 

[drgnfly30]

Our PCP also had no idea what it is, or the cause. She got him into an oral surgeon on Tuesday, gave him some Percocet & a stronger antibiotic....

I do not deal with 'unknowns' very well... my mind is racing with all the what ifs... between this & the foot surgery (Bunionectomy with Implants) he has to have in July I'm a wreck... I've told him for years he needed to take better care of himself, I think it's finally sank in why!

Any Pixie Dust you can spare would be appreciated!

 

[drgnfly30]

Well, Sunday night we were sitting here watching TV, when I hear him say "uh-oh" & take off for the bathroom... apparently whatever 'IT' was had worked it's way out of the gum... it was gross, that's all I have to say about that... He saved "IT" in a baggie for the oral surgeon & he finally felt relief.

Today the Oral Surgeon said "IT" was a part of his jawbone & that he needed to get his back two teeth out & have some of the jawbone shaved down to get rid of the infected parts.. that is scheduled for Friday afternoon.. one week prior to our departure to WDW... it's cutting it close but at least it looks like, for better or worse, he'll be ok to travel.

The whole thing still scares me, they didn't think it was cancer but will biopsy the jaw anyway, if everything goes well he'll be fitted with a partial later on...

Now I need some P&PD, since it looks like I'll be doing the majority of the driving now ... from Delaware to FLA - YIKES!

Thanks Dis-ers' you guys are here for other Dis-ers' no matter what!