AboutJoel S. Teig, DMD, FABOMS Expertise I am a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon available to answer questions related to tooth extractions, implant insertion, facial recontruction, facial and oral tumor removal, TMJ dysfunction and various successful treatments, including surgery if all else fails, and occlusal discrepancy requiring orthognathic or jaw surgery.
Experience Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon practicing for over 20 years. Assistant Clincal Professor at State University School of Dentistry.
Organizations American Dental Association, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Question Symptoms first started with pain in the space between my back two molars which I could localize. After a week of not getting better I went to see my Dentist. He did x-rays, tap test and pulp test and everything was normal. He could find the spot of pain with his exam.
Four days later the pain began to radiate from that space forward to the incisor. So now I am thinking a sinus infection. Dr on call prescribed Amoxicillin. Having no relief I followed up with my Dr. He changed my antibiotic to Levaquin (fluid in both ears, pain in cheek and teeth, post nasal drainage) and Flonase. I finished the 10 course of antibiotics and felt better but still having sl feeling of pressure. Three days after stopping levaquin the pain woke me from my sleep and was as bad as ever. So - I returned to my Dr. - Water's view of sinuses negative - CT
fairly unremarkable except for some debris in Sphenoid and very minimaldebris base of maxillary medially. Now I am on a course of 21 days of Bactrim and a Medrol pak. I wonder if there could still be something associated with my teeth?
I have no jaw popping but am wondering about TMJ. It does not hurt to chew - in fact the pain subsides with chewing.
BUt my teeth feel like they could fall out and my bite feels akward.
Sorrry so long !!!
Thanks , Debbie
Answer Debbie - I wish I could be more specific as to the cause, but the diffuse symptoms make the diagnosis quite difficult. With the minimal changes in the sinus via the CT scan, I would be leaning more to the teeth as the potential cause based on what you describe. Your symptoms are definitely not characteristic of TMJ. They do sound like the sinus. If the medications you were given now don't help, it might not be a bad idea to electrically test the teeth in the area to determine any injury to the nerves in the teeth. I also would have the area checked for periodontal problems.
I wish I could be more specific, but I think you may need direct exams by specialists like endodontists, periodontists or oral and maxillofacial surgeons to attempt to define what is going on. I hope they can find the cause.
