increasing pain after extraction and bone grafts

[OMGyow]

I had two teeth extracted 8 days ago- both had previously been crowned.  They are the two back teeth in my lower jaw.  The extraction took longer than usual (I was told) and was "complicated."  Afterwards, in preparation for implants at a later date, bone graft material was added and stitched closed.(Cow) The following two days saw swelling in the area- golf ball size.  It looked like the skin on my face was stretched.  I called and was given a steroid and antibiotic.  The swelling went down, but the pain increased.  The stitches dissolved and the area looked like chewed up hamburger.  I went to see my regular dentist- the one who did the surgery is out of town- and it was sewn shut again. Apparently my smoking caused this problem.  Sadly, the pain has not lessened- in fact, it has intensified.  I have to take the pain medication each 4-6 hours or actually start to cry.  The doc who did the surgery is due back in 3 days.  If I have him remove the bone graft material will this pain abate? I've had loads of dental work done over the years and am not much of a whiner, but this is something altogether different.  Please help!

[sijanise]

sound like dry socket to me also! i just got over dry socket. I had my farthest back bottom molar extracted after my dds perferated the tooth during a botched root canal. anways 2 days later i was in the worst pain of my life!!! i went in and sure enough i had dry socket...and you betcha smoking is one of the reasons for dry socket...mine was casue i choked and coughed and disloaded the blood clot. my dds had to come in  7 days in a row...even on new yrs day, that sat and sun to pack it with medication...and pain killers basically have no effect on dry socket. this is what my dds told me and it might be useful to you if you have it

" dry socket is common when the farthest back BOTTOM molars or wisdom teeth are extratced due to the area. you have less blood flow back there." he also said "nothing helps the pain...becasue you have exposed bone and nerve" when he packed it id have relief fr a few hours until the meds wore ooff and the spongey stuff he used dissolved and id go back the next day...i literally wanted to die. i couldnt eat, sleep nothing! but he said "youll know when its healed, he said youll wake up and youre pain will be near gone...becasue the tissue has closed up over the bone"...and after 7 days thats just what happened...i woke up and was like OH MY GOD NOOOOO PAIN!

[StratRebel]

If they mentioned smoking and you are in that much pain, sounds like a dry socket.  They should have packed some medication in the socket, which will make it feel much better in about 5-10 minutes.  The bone graft has nothing to do with it, if nothing else, it should help.

For the weekend, get some clove oil, it is the main ingredient in what dentists pack into a dry socket and it acts as a natural antibiotic and pain killer.  

[OMGyow]

PS - I also have been taking 4 ibupropen even 4 hours too!
from OMGyow!!!