About three weeks after wisdom teeth extraction, I began having pain in the space of the lower right  tooth, on the side of my face, and in my ear and eye. Most of the pain is gone except in the back of my eye. My dentist wouldn’t let me see the wisdom teeth that he removed. I wonder if he left something behind. Will the discomfort in my eye go away, or should I get an X-ray from another dentist?  I want to begin teeth whitening treatment, but I’m concerned about irritation. Thanks. Alex

 

Alex,

Although it’s possible to have an infection after wisdom teeth removal, it usually occurs at the gum incision. If there is an infection at the site of a non-impacted tooth, the infection would drain through the opening, allowing healing without complications.

However, if a piece of a tooth or a root remains in the socket, it is at risk of infection even if your gum tissue heals over it.

What Happens If a Tooth Breaks During an Extraction?

If a tooth breaks during extraction, its size and location determine what a dentist should do. Unforeseen complications can occur during tooth removal. Age we age, tooth roots have extra cementum deposits that can cause roots to break during tooth removal.

Small root tip left after tooth extraction

If a small tooth root tip breaks during extraction, it may be best to leave it. A root tip near a nerve or the sinus is risky to remove and should heal without complications.

Large root tip or fragment left after tooth extraction

A large root tip or fragment that breaks during tooth extraction should be removed. A dentist or oral surgeon may need to remove some bone around the root. If your dentist cannot remove the fragment, he or she should refer you to an oral surgeon.

We recommend getting a second opinion and X-ray from another dentist to determine if a tooth root or fragment is in the wisdom tooth socket. The dentist can recommend treatment or refer you to an oral surgeon. If a leftover fragment is beneath the gum tissue, you can ask for a refund from the dentist who extracted the tooth.

Afterward, you can begin bleaching your teeth without concerns about further irritating the wisdom tooth extraction site.

Metairie, Louisiana, cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune sponsors this post.