Surgical Removal of Molar

I am not sure if I have an infection...just wondering if it is normal to have severe pain nearly a week post surgical removal of my molar. My dentist said 'they don't get much worse than that one' at the time and he packed it with clove oil and antibiotics at the time. I've been pretty careful about keeping it clean. It has four stitches in it as well. He had to drill and get the tooth out in pieces.

The pain is not throbbing but my jaw is just SO sore. It doesn't feel infected but so bruised and it is like I have an firm lump on my jaw. My glands are not swollen and the wound looks clean.

Any tips on the pain? My Dentist is away sick and the nurse was fairly happy that I didn't have dry socket. She did say she knows if was a tough extraction. Ice helps, heat just aggrivates.

[Angel6809]

Everyone heals differently when teeth extractions are involved.   I've read of people hardly having any pain after an extraction and then others have pain for up to 3 weeks afterwards.  From what you've described it was a very involved procedure.   From my own experience I had a root canal performed on a molar and it took just over 2 weeks before I was able to get the pain under control, simply because the trauma to the surrounding tissue was quite intense.  And your extraction sounds like it was a LOT worse, what with all the drilling to get it out piece by piece.   I'm guessing you would have had a couple of deep injections to make sure you were totally numb for the procedure too.   Sometimes it's those that can cause stiffness and soreness in the jaw muscles.   I'd say what you're experiencing sounds pretty normal.  Remember your poor jaw has gone through trauma.......I'd say you need more time before you start feeling a decrease in pain and discomfort.   Get on the good drugs....you'll be in happy land in no time :-)