Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 2/8/2007

Question
HELLO. I HAVE MULTIPLE TEETH THAT NEED FILLINGS, ROOT CANALS, AND SOME NEED TO BE PULLED. I WAS SENT TO AN ORAL SURGEON TWO DAYS AGO FOR AN EVALUATION AND HE PULLED ONE OF MY LOWER RIGHT SIDED MOLARS. THAT SAME DAY I WAS HAVING SOME CAVITY PAIN IN A MOLAR ON MY LOWER LEFT SIDE. ANYWAYS, I HAVE HAD VERY MINIMAL PAIN OR SWELLING IN THE AREA THAT THE TOOTH WAS PULLED FROM. HOWEVER, YESTERDAY I STARTED HAVING CONSIDERABLE PAIN AND SWELLING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE INVOLVING MY TEETH AND JAW ON BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER AREAS AND IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. TONIGHT WHICH IS JUST 48 HOURS ATER THE PULLING I FEEL LIKE I CAN HARDLY TOLERATE IT! SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE AN ABSCESS? I REALIZE THAT YOU CANNOT SAY DEFINATELY WITHOUT AN EXAM SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR A GUESSTIMATE ON YOUR PART!? I JUST FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS PAIN AND SWELLING IS RELATED TO A MOLAR EXTRACTION ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF MY FACE ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM HAVING NEXT TO KNOW PAIN OR SWELLING ON THAT SIDE YA KNOW!? SO WHATTYA THINK?? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!!

Answer
Dear CHRISTY,

You are correct-- it is unlikely that extraction of a tooth on the lower right quadrant would cause swelling or pain on the lower left. In all likelihood, you have an unrelated infection  from a different tooth on the lower left side.

Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY