Numbness after apico - Is infection gone?

16 months ago I had a root canal on tooth in lower right (3rd tooth from back). Everything seemed fine until a few months ago...started getting intermitent pains. Went to endodontic. Examined and took xrays. Could not seem to find the culprit. He even consulted with other endos during my visit. Put me on antibiotics, which did not help. After more xrays and a consult with a periodontic, it was decided I would have an apicoectomy. I was warned of the possibility of temporary or permanent numbness because of the nerve in lower jaw. I did had the apico. A large infection was discovered, the tooth roots were shortened and the infection was cleaned out. I was put on antibiotics again. It's been four weeks since the apico and the lower right half of my lip, my chin, and my gums are still numb. I have had check-ups with the perio every week. He has taken more xrays and he assures me that he did not get close enough to the the nerve to explain the numbness. At first he thought the numbness was due to the swelling I experienced after the apico, but the swelling has almost subsided now and the numbness is still there. I still have a hard goose-egg, about the size of a grape, in my jaw. (This lump was not present prior to apico). I am nervous because the only reason why I knew there was a problem with my tooth in the first place is because I could feel the pain. Now I am numb and feel nothing. I don't know if the infection is gone or if it's raging away in there. The infection never showed up on xrays prior to the apico...so what do I do now? How far can this infection go if it does not clear up?

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

I would be interested in knowing what this lump that is present represents. I think it will take awhile for the numbness to go away, but I feel it will dissipate.As far as the infection is concerned I do feel that it has removed by doing the apico but that it has to be monitored regularly.

[mike1105]

get another opinion from an oral surgeon or root canal specialist. get a referral from someone you trust, who is  outside of the practices you are a patient in currently.

[robinnnnn]

i had that procedure on a top front tooth and it took about 3 months to get full feeling back then i had gum pain and lost the tooth anyway... 1700 bux later,,,,,the numbness wil go away i think.

[dec72rene]

I had a root canal done a few yrs ago and had extreme pain afterward. I had about 3 sittings total, but after the 1st visit when the dentist gave me the shot I felt tingling in my jaw. After the work, I had extreme pain and during this time my jaw was numb and tingly from the middle of my chin over to my jaw. It stayed for months like this. The dentist gave me steriods, but they did not help. I ended up contacting a specialist and they told me that it happens more than u would think. They told me that It should finally clear up they thought and it may be 6 months. Mine ended up lasting about 6 months. It almost drove me crazy! Now with my new dentist, when he took his 1st erays, he noticed a line along that jaw, looks like a crack in the bone. He think it is a nerve that was damaged, said he never saw anything like it...Hope it never causes problems. It does not hurt now so thats my biggest concern ohhh and the numbness is not there thats good too! Good luck to you. I would see a specialist if it does not clear up in about 3 months.