I had a root canal two days ago and now my face and neck are swollen

[MARIA/ SWOLLEN FACE]

I had a root canal the day before yesterday and that day everything was fine. I went to work the following day and everything was fine, I was taking advil for the pain. then that night all of the sudden something didn't feel right and when i looked in the mirror that side of my jaw and down to my neck was swollen and it felt like there was a ball in there. Now I look like a freak. i took some amoxicillan that I had but it doesn't seem to be working. Its saturday now and Im leaving for New York on Monday but i can't go looking like this. please any advise will be very helpful.

thanks
maria

[hanako319]

A related discussion, Causes of swelling and pain after treating RCT 3 days ago was started.

[Dr. Mike - HHA]

Maria, (I am reading your post on 9-13-07,however)
it is very hard to determine the nature/ extent of any swelling/ complications after your treatment over the INTERNET.  However, based on its location I would recommend paging the Doctor who provided the care -as he or she can best determine what is considered expected to experience after a procedure such as yours - since they performed the procedure, and are familiar with your Medical History.  After paging the Doctor I would recommend that regardless of their advice you get in to see them for an assessment asap. Things that start out benign, like neck swelling etc., can become serious without warning. (Esp. in you happen to be running a fever or having a reaction to something) Therefore a page and a visit asap are in order. That way your Doctor can assess you firsthand and determine the seriousness of your post-operative swelling, and BEST determine Treatment, Medications, and follow-up. resolving this is also very important to do prior to leaving the state on a trip should the problem worsen etc. - you want to have a "travel plan" in order.

All the best, Maria.

To: Dr. mike1105 and maxillofacial_surgeon:

I agree with mike1105 in also recommending caution to maxillofacial_surgeon when recommending such specific treatment with such limited information and No patient. This has only to do with patient safety -FIRST, regardless of considering any possible legal issues. Although Lawyers in general are negatively viewed, there are plenty of caring honest lawyers to help protect people / patients from true malpractice and /or irresponsible medical advice.

maxillofacial_surgeon , Your good intentions to help someone may result in delay in seeking out direct assessment by the person's treating Doctor, and such specific advice about Medications etc. may, without the patient present and a good medHx, cause unintended and perhaps serious complications.

Whether you were trained in the United States or elsewhere this fact should be apparent.

all the best,

Dr. Mike - Northwestern University of Chicago D.D.S. ; USA

[mike1105]

i hear you and you are most likely right. its jut that in the US you'd get sued in a jiffy if he develops a complication after you "treated" her-- at least that is how her lawyer would make it seem.......

[maxillofacial_surgeon]

i think that antibiotics "amoxicillin+flagyl" is enough for the resolution  this depends that there is no problem with the rct  and checking for antibiotic sensitivity
if the conservative antibiotic treatment fails"which is rare after obturation only 4%"  she will  need incision and drainage and further endodontic surgery
but remember all this depend  that the  root canal treatment is okay

[mike1105]

I am a general dentist. I've just always been trained never even to offer advice other than "go see an oral surgeon" or periodontist or endodntist or "go to the ER" if I was unable to persoanlly see and examine a patient with an emergency. But since you are not in the US-- you are safe from the lawsuit happy population in the US !!!!

[maxillofacial_surgeon]

thanks about your concern dr maxillo but i acutally dont live in usa
i just want to give some help and i saw hundreds of cases in my work like that
i think it must be some flexibility in the work that what they call tentative diagnosis and i told her also to check the oral surgeon
by the way is your doctor degree in maxillofacial surgery?
thanks again doctor

[mike1105]

i am a dmd--- just a word of caution to you regarding risk management---- beware of offering solutions to patients problems over the net. most likely your plan will be successful, but what if she develops something more seroius and suffers perm problems?? In court she will claim you told her what to do. Her atty will chastise you becasue you've never seen the patient--he will be right. it would be better to say what the problem MAY be and then advise the patient to see a specialist asap.

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

There reallyis not  much you can do except to take the antibiotics(it will take some time to work) and the possibility that you may have to see an oral surgeon for an incision and drainage if the  infection(swelling gets worse) does not lessen.

[maxillofacial_surgeon]

dont worry about it ,most commenly these postoperative complications are somehow not uncommon
do the following:
1-take your amoxicillin 500mg every 8 hrs+flagyl"Metronidazole"250mg every 12hrs
2-cold packs on the swelling area
3-the advil every 6hrs
try to eat a small snacks before talking these medications
most commonly these symptoms subsides without any intervention within few days , if these symptoms didnt subside within 2-3 days
check your endodontist  back

[mike1105]

no question you need to be seen as soon as possible by an endodontist.