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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Loss Of Dimple On Cheek After Filling, Root Canal And Extraction, Have Swelling. Will It Come Back?

Hi! I just had a dental filling, a root canal and an extraction 5 days ago. My problem was, the dimple on my left cheek (where the dental procedures was done) is no longer visible. Is it because of the anesthesia or nerve damage? My cheek has a little swelling as of now and i am still taking an antibiotic . Is it still possible for my dimple to come back? I m really worried. Please advise. Thanks!
Fri, 10 Aug 2012
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Dentist, Periodontics 's  Response
Hello
Your dental history says you had a dental filling, root canal and extraction.. It is very common to have swelling after extraction and sometimes after root canal treatment. The swelling will gradually reduce. The dimple is not visible because of swelling,(there would be fluid filled within the spaces in cheek which would have obscured the dimple). As and when the swelling reduces you would see your dimple re appearing. If it was a simple extraction the chances of nerve damage is very less. In your case it is most likely because of swelling the dimple has obscured, which will reappear once the swelling reduces.

Take care
Dr.Avinash
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Dentist Dr. Bibhu Dutt Nanda's  Response
hello and welcome to hcm forum,
i am glad to wrote in, according to the dental history provided by you i cannot rule out the diagnosis but yes i can assure you that the dimple won't come back if you will complete the antibiotic course as prescribed by your dentist.
swelling over your cheek can be due to a number of reasons; infection, trauma, anesthesia,etc.
along with the oral antibiotics, use an antibacterial mouth wash(betadine) twice/daily.
do not worry you will be fine within a week's time,
i wish you good health,
take care.
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Dentist, Endodontics Dr. Saket Gaurav's  Response
Hi Gabbydy12,
The dimple is not visible because of the edema in that region, which may be because of trauma, local anesthesia injection. Sometimes it occurs because of the damage of nerves in that region which causes the improper activity of muscles of that area, most of the times with numbness. If it is because of edema it will be alright in 10-15 days. But if it is due to nerve damage it might take upto 6-9 months to become alright with medication. Go for a check-up after 15days, your dentist might refer you to a neurologist if the nerve damage is extensive.

Take care.
May the joy be with you.
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Dentist, Prosthodontics Dr. Shivangi Gajwani Jain's  Response
Hi,
The dimple may not be visible because of 2 reasons:
1. the edema/swelling due to trauma which would have occured while extraction.
2. sometimes after local anesthesia the numbness persists for a while due to irritation/trauma to the adjacent nerves which would have resulted in your problem.
Ideally the swelling should subside in a weeks time and the dimple would then be visible again but if there is no change then i would strongly recommend you to visit your dentist for a check up. After seeing you clinicaly he may recommend you to visit a neurologist.
In most of the cases the swelling recedes soon and there are absolutely no side effects of the same.
Regards
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Loss Of Dimple On Cheek After Filling, Root Canal And Extraction, Have Swelling. Will It Come Back?

Hello Your dental history says you had a dental filling, root canal and extraction.. It is very common to have swelling after extraction and sometimes after root canal treatment. The swelling will gradually reduce. The dimple is not visible because of swelling,(there would be fluid filled within the spaces in cheek which would have obscured the dimple). As and when the swelling reduces you would see your dimple re appearing. If it was a simple extraction the chances of nerve damage is very less. In your case it is most likely because of swelling the dimple has obscured, which will reappear once the swelling reduces. Take care Dr.Avinash