Root has been left in and sinus perforated?

Question

My dentist extracted my tooth yesterday and broke it off leaving one of the roots behind.He fished to get the root out for 20 mins then panicked and said lets leave it , its too close to the sinus.Today I have liquid every time i drink coming down my nasal passage,nostril.It feels as if he's actually damaged my sinus,I'm in much pain.I want the root out too ,but he's said it will heal over fine,won't get infected and is safe when I questioned this.Advice please?

Kathy Zahedi, DDS · Answer

I suggest immediately seeing an oral surgeon in order to evaluate for sinus exposure. The oral surgeon should be able to easily correct if sinus exposure is an issue.

Furthermore, the root should be removed to avoid any problems that may arise down the road.

Jean-Paul Banh, DDS · Answer

It sounds to me that your dentist might have perforated the sinus.  This is a common occurrence when extracting upper molars.  The dentist will try to achieve primary closure, give you some antibiotics, pain medication, and sudafed.  In addition, it seemed that your root might have been lodged into your sinus.  This is a more serious issue.  I would suggest that you go to an oral surgeon and get a Xray or CBCT to see if the root is in your sinus.  It is usually preferable to NOT leave any root behind to minimize the probability of future infection.

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