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Need Help Figure Why in Excrutiating Pain a Week After Wisdom Teeth Removal? (photo)

I had 3 wisdom teeth removed on 7/20 2 lowers & upper right. The upper right was the only impacted tooth. We are going on a few days after a week & I'm still in excrutiating pain! The left side is throbbing all throughout what seems to be my jaw & extending into my ear. I went back in on Thursday. They checked for dry socket & said I didn't have that. They cleaned food out of the then gave me 4 shots of numbing stuff & a script for a stronger pain medicine. Help I need some relief!!!

Doctor Answers 1

Dry Socket After Wisdom Teeth Removal

July 31st, 2012
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Your symptoms are classic for Acute Alveolar Osteitis or "Dry Socket".  Of course without examining you this is only a VERY educated guess.  "Dry Socket" is when you dislodge all or some of the blood clot in an extraction site or the clot breaks down on its own before it matures. This leads to exposed bone inside the extraction socket which causes severe pain.  This pain classically radiates to the ear, temple neck and along the jaw on the affected side.  There are a few treatments for this which help almost immediately.  There are "Dry Socket" preparations whicjh sooth the nerve endings in the bone in just minutes.  Did you see an oral surgeon?  If not seek the help of a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon to get you pain relief, otherwise the pain may drag on for quite some time.

Web reference: http://drbdorfman.com

Brian Dorfman, MD, DMD


Phoenix Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 13 reviews

July 31st, 2012

Dry Socket After Wisdom Teeth Removal

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

Your symptoms are classic for Acute Alveolar Osteitis or "Dry Socket".  Of course without examining you this is only a VERY educated guess.  "Dry Socket" is when you dislodge all or some of the blood clot in an extraction site or the clot breaks down on its own before it matures. This leads to exposed bone inside the extraction socket which causes severe pain.  This pain classically radiates to the ear, temple neck and along the jaw on the affected side.  There are a few treatments for this which help almost immediately.  There are "Dry Socket" preparations whicjh sooth the nerve endings in the bone in just minutes.  Did you see an oral surgeon?  If not seek the help of a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon to get you pain relief, otherwise the pain may drag on for quite some time.

Learn more: http://drbdorfman.com

Brian Dorfman, MD, DMD


Phoenix Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 13 reviews

*Treatment results may vary

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