oral pain, just the same

I have a similar problem but have not had surgery. I have been having sublingual pain on the left side that has gradually increased after the very large molar (third from the back) left UPPER. The teeth on the left lower are also strange feeling like a dull ache/numbness. The lateral side of my tongue is numb as well. This area actual started to thicken and I had a vague leukoplakia biopsied from this site in August, the result was mild hyperkeratosis. This is felt to be a result of the constant rubbing on the tongue by the sharp edge of the lower teeth that have no uppers above them. It is not unbearable either, but extremely annoying. Now the pain is radiating down my neck and up my ear. Sometimes it also hurts when I swallow. My dentist seems to think that since the problems started when the upper tooth was extracted, this is all being caused by the change this extraction caused in my bite. He thinks that a bridge will fix both the bottom teeth problem and the tongue problems. I am paying 2300 out of my own pocket, my ins is paying 1000. I have read on some TMJ sites (as this is the closest set of symptoms that make sense to me) that say not to try to correct the bite or have surgery as this does not usually help. This is a lot of money to waste if it does not work. However, it makes sense to me that since the problems started with the extraction, that replacing the missing tooth would fix the problem. Since I had my teeth cleaned the other day all of the pain is worse especially my ear and my throat hurts. Could I have a chronic abcess (abscess) that cannot be seen? I am just sick and tired of feeling like this all of the time.


This discussion is related to dental infection or TMJ?.