another tooth question...please help?

Question

I have decided to search for another dentist after my last visit. The most painful extraction I would never wish on an enemy. The tooth just didn't want to be pulled and it had a small abscess at the root. He gave a perscription for clindamycin and told me to fill it the next day if I felt that I still had an infection. Like I'm a doctor... How would I really know. My problem is the cheek on the side of the pulled tooth is swollen on the inside and kind of purplish. Is that just a bruise or do I need to be concerned. Also, with this pull I have now lost my back two molars on the top left side (not really my choice but it was that or pay 1700 for a root canal). When the clot goes away and the gum heals, what can I eat? I lost the large molar on the bottom right side and so really I have few molars left. I cannot get partials because i have no money. Any suggestions? Please answer the first question though because that is more pressing.

It was a "simple" extraction--hardly from my stand point. The Dentist said he didn't know the source of the infection and poked at all my teeth on that side and I think he damaged one of them but I can't tell for sure right now. I am just so tired of losing teeth. The pain of the extraction gets worse with each one. He said that you can't treat with antibiotics first then focus on the tooth when the novicaine would work better because it is an infection and it could go to your brain. This sucks and I just don't want to lose another one soon.

Answer 1

It will take a week or more to start to heal. Unless you get a fever or it swells more and more, or it radiates to your head, or hurts more, you should be ok.

When it starts to heal, eat soft foods, nothing that you have to bite off or tear. Drink lots of water and avoid soda or acidic drinks like orange juice as it can burn till its fully healed.

Do you have a government assistance that you could get dental insurance? Sometimes you can buy some.

Answer 2

Normally a good dentist will give antibiotics BEFORE he does the extraction. This allows the infection or abscess to diminish before he starts to work. If not, it is extremely difficult to get numb and painful to extract. Even under the best circumstances an abscessed tooth is not always a pain-free extraction, but it shouldn't be that miserable. Take your antibiotic until it's gone and that should help with any residual problems. He probably caused a lot of tissue damage with that extraction, and it might just be swollen and painful from that but if it's from anything else the antibiotic will help. Take something for the pain and if you don't feel better within a couple of days then call and ask what you should do. It's his responsibility to make sure that his patient is not in pain. Once you get all of your work done and you're no longer hurting anywhere find another dentist and start discussing your plans for implants/partials etc. But get out of pain first before you worry about making them look good. Feel better.

Answer 3

OPERAPHAN,
I WROTE TO ONE OF YOUR Q's BEFORE, I THINK IT WAS CONCERNING THIS VERY TOOTH. IF THE EXTRACTION YOU HAD WAS SURGICAL, WHERE THE TOOTH AND/OT BONE HAD TO BE CUT TO REMOVE THE TOOTH, TAKING THE CLINDAMYCIN WOULD BE A WISE CHOICE.
AFTER HAVING EXTRACTIONS IT IS INEVITABLE TO HAVE SWELLING AND/OR BRUISING. SOME WARM, MOIST HEAT WILL HELP TO TAKE THE SWELLING DOWN, NOW THAT'S BEEN AT LEAST 24hrs SINCE THE EXTRACTION.
FOR NOW DOING MOST OF YOUR CHEWING USING YOUR BICUSPID TEETH WILL BE ADEQUATE. IN THE FUTURE PARTIALS ARE THE WAY TO GO. I RECOMMEND VALPLAST THERMOPLASTIC PARTIALS -- THEY'RE MORE COMFORTABLE THAN THE TRADITIONAL METAL FRAMEWORK PARTIALS -- AND LOOK MUCH NICER.