is that your tooth??

Whats that black thing stickin out the bottom of it?

That is a less than common external resorbtion case. The body reacted to the root canal filling material (in this case a silver rod called a "point"). The body's immune response cause the root to disolve and a abscess to form.

ahh.. ok, I was like what kind of person keeps a tooth!

dude that things f'in ugly

Okay, everything is very tolerable today. Sure, it hurts, but the pain meds are working.

I've been on the phone more than I should, and let the pain level creep up on me and got an hour overdue for the next pill. Just popped it in, so it should be better in 20 or 30 mins.

How do you know when you get a dry socket? I cleared my throat pretty hard this morning and it felt like something shot out of one of the tooth holes. Wasn't anything bloody or red, cause I fished around with my finger trying to make sure. Wasn't sure if I just filled my cheek pocket with air, or what. I would have expected losing the clot would give me a mouthful of blood or something. I'm positive I didn't swallow anything that came out cause I immediately stopped and fished around. And, yes, that tooth hole is the one that is bothering me the most.

Should I freak and call the doc or just kick back and play the waiting game?

In all, I still say it's going surprisingly well.

If your sutures stay in place, is it still possible to get a dry socket? Please explain the mechanism involved here.

And by the way, how difficult is it (force-wise) to pull teeth? I mean like how HARD does a man have to pull on a tooth to get it out? I imagine that it varies, but what is "normal"? And is twisting involved or just a sort of sideways bending along with a straight pull?

Dude, that knee on the chest thing is'nt funny!!!

They just pulled yours, your lucky mine were all impacted and two had roots wrapped around my sinuses. Surgery took three hours, my jaw hurt for a week too. I wouldn't worry about feeling like somethings in there. You should get one of those water syringe things from your dr. they get all the stuff out of the holes. just use warm water or you'll go through the roof.

Mcollinstn,

I had ONE done on march 2 (this month). It was a tuesday. By Friday, I was pretty sure that I had dry socket from the pain. I am pretty good about pain, but this was different. As soon as I tried to go to sleep my mouth would open, air would hit the extraction site, and I'd be up. By Saturday morning I was in shock from the pain.
I mean it was "Hey, I've got guns, I could kill myself" pain.
I went to an oral surgeon who was covering for my guy, and he knew right away I was brewing dry socket. He shot me up, then packed it. Packing is the key. They had to repack it every other day for about 10 days. Then I was out of the woods.
The uppers don't get dry socket as much as the lowers. Young get it less than old, smokers get it alot. I don't smoke, but I'm 38, and I guess that was old enough.
Be careful not to "overdry" your extraction site with the guaze. I think that's what screwed me. I bit down so hard for so long to get the bleeding to stop that I absorbed the clot. A little blood is nothing. Let it bleed a little if it is still bleeding. But don't go nuts getting the gauze to stop being bloody. The blood is your friend if it covers that exposed bone and nerve. If it doesn't get covered, you will be in for some God awful pain.
DON"T TRY TO COPE WITH THE PAIN, YOU CAN GO INTO SHOCK TRYING TO TOUGH IT OUT.

If the pain increases after tomorrow... Call your OMS right away. If you do have dry socket, the packing is your best friend. With the packing in, life was bearable.
When they wanted to take the packing out for good, I was nervous. I had grown very fond of that packing.
Plus, they will give you better pain meds and some Ambien so you can sleep.
After two weeks, it stopped being so sore. Now that I'm almost to the four week point, it has begun healing, and other than getting food in the socket, it isn't too bad.

I wish that I had somebody to check with when I had it.
I don't want to scare you about dry socket. I hope you don't get it. But if you think you've got it. DON'T WAIT. It will get worse. Let them pack it.

Also, Carnation instant breakfast can be your friend, too.
Kept me from starving to death.

I had the knee in the chest also. Mine were so impacted that they had to drill the tooth and screw a thing in there to break the tooth in pieces. I was in major pain. I have all 4 out now but did two at a time. I didn't have a biting block and the worst pain was the the fact I had to keep my mouth open for an hour.