Hello! In Mid January I Developed An Abcess Next To

Posted on Fri, 17 Apr 2020

Question: Hello! In mid January I developed an abcess next to my second lower molar, left side. My dentist concluded it wasn’t viable for a root canal, so he extracted it along with the wisdom tooth behind it. The wisdom tooth was a difficult extraction and he had to remove it in sections. I subsequently developed dry socket in that site, which healed. Thereafter on March 9th a piece of sequestra poked through and he removed it. That didn’t heal properly and four days later he had to file it more to get the bleeding going to form a clot. Now, two weeks later, I’m still feeling pain and sharp edges in that area and am not sure if it’s another piece of sequestra or if it didn’t heal properly. I’m attaching images with the area circled...can you please take a look and let me know your thoughts?

Also, while I was looking in my mouth in my lighted magnifying mirror (which shows way too much!), I noticed a white area behind area of where the teeth are, in the same side as the extraction. I’ve attached an image and circled it. It does look like there is a similar area on the other side with that same coloration. Can you please let me know if it’s just a normal color variation in the mucousa, or whether it’s worrisome? Thank you so very much!

Follow up: Dr. Priyanka Tiwari (0 minute later)

Hello! In mid January I developed an abcess next to my second lower molar, left side. My dentist concluded it wasn’t viable for a root canal, so he extracted it along with the wisdom tooth behind it. The wisdom tooth was a difficult extraction and he had to remove it in sections. I subsequently developed dry socket in that site, which healed. Thereafter on March 9th a piece of sequestra poked through and he removed it. That didn’t heal properly and four days later he had to file it more to get the bleeding going to form a clot. Now, two weeks later, I’m still feeling pain and sharp edges in that area and am not sure if it’s another piece of sequestra or if it didn’t heal properly. I’m attaching images with the area circled...can you please take a look and let me know your thoughts?

Also, while I was looking in my mouth in my lighted magnifying mirror (which shows way too much!), I noticed a white area behind area of where the teeth are, in the same side as the extraction. I’ve attached an image and circled it. It does look like there is a similar area on the other side with that same coloration. Can you please let me know if it’s just a normal color variation in the mucousa, or whether it’s worrisome? Thank you so very much!

Answered by Dr. Priyanka Tiwari (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Follow these measures if symptom of pain persists then go for xray.

Detailed Answer:
Hello Mbaquiline

Thanks for consulting Ask a doctor service .
This is Dr Priyanka tiwari answering your query .

I have read your query and gone through the images you have attached . As far as i have observed in image it seems like unhealed oral mucosa or might be there root stump left inside the socket . As you have pain there i will suggest you measure to do warm saline rinses twice daily and apply ointment like gum paint or Rexidine M forte gel on that painful mucosa twice daily for one week by consulting with local doctor . After one week if symptom of pain persists then for proper evaluation i will suggest you to get an Xray done of that extraction site.

2) As far as discolored area behind extraction site is concerned it can be healing scar or normal variation of mucosa.

Hope this will help you .
If you have further query i will be happy to help.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj