Gateway Dental

Hi! I had a tooth extraction 8 days ago and now, my blood clot may be gone… I'm not sure because I can't see very well into the extraction site. I don't really feel pain or anything though.

I'm just wondering how long a blood clot generally needs to last after a tooth extraction. Any help would be really appreciated.

the blood clot is the foundation for healing. Healing involves formation of bone in the former site of the tooth. So there isn't an exact timeframe of how long a blood clot should stay in a post-operative extraction site.

I'm just wondering though…8 days and it's still open? Do you have any systemic issues? (bleeding disorders, hypertension, diabetes) I think you might want to consult with the dentist that extracted your tooth.

I've been to five different doctors, none of which have been able to help me when it comes to tmj and my terrible headaches that i've been suffering with for five years. i'm going to a dentist tomorrow and i hope that they can help me. it seems like doctors just want to prescribe you a ton of medication and never really solve the problem.

because you need to see an orthordontis. they say that you need a splint but tell them no. I have had one and it did nothing. you need a biteblock. It is like a splint except it has a spring in it. you wear it at night time when you sleep only. It is not cheap, but you will never regret it. When the orthordontis says to try the splint tell him or her you dont want to waste money and you know a lot of people that have tried them and they don't work. you don't have to know them I do. But a doctor can not help you with this. there maybe a chance that a denture center maybe able to make one but i don't know for sure mine was made by my orthordontist. worked great the only thing that worked.

I had an emergency tooth extraction on Monday. I did not receive an antibiotic nor a pain killer. Today is Thursday. I am having pain that comes and goes. Could that be an infection or part of the healing process?

Some pain is normal, especially if the area is exposed to heat or cold.
You should avoid smoking or drinking through a straw. Both can lead to "dry socket", a post extraction infection that is very painful.

If your pain is increasing instead of gradually decreasing, or you start bleeding or developing increased swelling around the extraction site or on your face/jaw, you need to see a dentist or doctor for followup treatment.

My jaw is locked up on one side, I have Tmj , May jaw is also swollen some from having 2 wisdom teeth taken out on the other side. Any ideas on how to make it loosen up?

mine does this all the time! take a very hot rag.. run warm water on it. . and place up there kinda press on hte rag with your hand and try to open slowly! it should help thats what my denist told me to do about it

Please give me any hints, tips, suggestions, remedies that you know of for TMJ that work. I have facial soreness, muscle soreness, pain under my eyes, and I do not want to get surgery for it. Thanks.

You need to avoid, chewy foods as much as possible: bagels, gum, taffy. If you are going to eat an apple or something like that, make sure to cut it up, don't try to bite it.

Sometimes I put a hot rag on my jaw joints and it helps, temporarily, but it helps, and ibuprofen helps as well.

Definitely get you a bite guard to wear while you sleep, I have one and it does help.

I am having one wisdom tooth pulled sometime in the next couple of weeks. It is an upper tooth. (I am 35 years old.)The tooth is not impacted. It is broken and has decay. I will be awake during the procedure, with just novocaine to numb the area. The oral surgeon and his assistant said I will not feel pain but I will feel up to about 20 pounds of pressure. This sounds extremely scary to me. Also, he gave me a prescription for Halcion, which he wants me to take before the extraction. I am also nervous about that, as I am very senstitive to medication, but he said all it will do is relax me and that it will also relax my jaw which will make it easier and faster for him to extract the tooth. I want it to be as easy and fast as possible so I am planning on taking the Halcion before my appointment. Has anyone had any experience? I am curious about reactions to Halcion and what to expect to feel when I take it, and about the pain and/or pressure I may feel during the extraction. Thanks!

My dentist usually prescribes a couple of valium before an extensive procedure. I'm sure your dentist has some reason for prescribing something stronger. Just make sure you use a designated driver. Follow his directions carefully so you do not develop painful dry socket. If he's a good dentist, he'll use enough novacaine; mine certainly does not believe in pain; I call him "Dr. Feelgood."

I went to my orthodontist yesterday to change the rubberbands on my braces, an since I got braces, my first orthodontist said I MIGHT need a tooth extraction by the end of the treatment. Since then i got a new orthodontist, and he says that my teeth are fine. He said that the only reason to pull teeth out now is for cosmetic reasons. And the worse thing about this is that my mom kept inisting that I get the extraction to the point that I started to cry when he said that he was going to pull the braces off those teeth to prepare for the extraction. My mom hasn't even asked me about it. She even said that the orthodontist just didn't want to give the service that I needed. It makes me feel really bad to think that she doesn't like my face. I know she's going to ignore me when I tell her I don't want the extraction, so I was just wondering if someone could help by telling me how it works. I would really appreciate it. I'm really scared so knowing the procedure might calm me down a little.

i've also put on my braces recently. and i've already pulled out two teeth. actually nothing to be afraid of. they'll just start by injecting aneasthetic into your gums. then they'll pull out your teeth. really, i didn't even feel a thing. after the extraction, they'll give you a few cotton buds so you can stop the bleeding. the bleeding will last for only a while, so no big deal.
anywayz, hope everything goes fine when u extract ur tooth. good luck =)

In the middle of the night I woke up and when I moved the bottom of my jaw to the left I could feel the bones pop and go back in place when I moved my jaw to its original position. It just happened all of a sudden! Up till now my jaw does lock, but I don't feel it pop like it did. It still does pop and it hurts.

My mom told me I have TMJ and started listing family members (including herself) that have it.

What is TMJ and what does the dentist do about it?

TMJ is the term for the joint. TMD is temporomandibular disorder, which means that you are having problems with that joint (just like you can have problems with any other joint).

The dentist would usually recommend a nightguard to help maintain your jaw in the correct position, or for severe cases, surgery may be necessary.

I've spent over $2000 out of pocket to cover treatments and doctor visits for my TMJ problem. Can I claim this on my taxes and get money back?

You can deduct medical expenses if they total more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income and you itemize your expenses instead of taking the standard deduction.
Example:
Your adjusted gross income is $40,000, 7.5% of which is $3,000. You paid medical expenses of $2,000. You cannot deduct any of your medical expenses because they are not more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income.

What is the proper procedure for Implants in terms of tooth extraction and implant placement? I have been told the tooth should be extracted and then wait several weeks to get the implant. I have also been told both can be done at the same time. What is the proper procedure?

Both are correct in different situations. If a tooth is infected and needs to be extracted, generally you wait 4 to 6 weeks for your body to completely heal the infection before you would put in an implant. If the tooth being remove is heavily damaged (or whatever), but has no infection in the bone, an implant can often be placed the same day. This will be dependent on the surgeon's experience. If he's had lots of failures with immediate placements, you'll be waiting. (and vice versa)