01-24-2025, 09:24 AM
Somewhere around 1996 or 97, I had my #3 tooth removed. My #2 and #4 were crowned and a bridge built between them. It remained a permanent fixture in my mouth until Sunday night. (Top right back teeth) The top right wisdom tooth is #1 but most of us no longer have that one.
This past Sunday night, I had just finished my supper, and had sat down in my recliner when all of a sudden, something was in my mouth that had been in my jaw. That bridge had fallen completely out. I had mentioned that the #2 tooth had a cavity and that the crown and bridge would have to be removed during Sunday's Skype meet. Well, guess my body thought it would skip that part. So there I was with my bridge in my hand, wondering why I wasn't in any pain. (And, I must admit I was upset) I called and left a message at my dentist's office. They made me an appointment for Tuesday.
Fast forward to yesterday. I got a call from an oral surgeon my dentist had referred me to on Tuesday asking if I would like to come in instead of the appointment I was going to have in two weeks. I went at noon and the news was not good.
Background: For the last 20 years or so, I have had osteoporosis (when the cells that remove bone (osteoclasts) work faster than the ones that replace that with new bone (osteoblasts) and you start to have hole-y bones). During those years, I have been receiving IV infusions of a drug called Reclast. It comes with a risk of patients developing osteonecrosis of the jaw (jaw bone death). Although I do not have that YET, one thing that can induce it, IF you are a recipient of osteoporosis drugs (such as Reclast), is to have a tooth extraction.
Because extracting a tooth leaves a gaping hole in the bone, you would want that to heal quickly and not get infected and so on. Unfortunately, because I just had an infusion in July and my old bone hasn't been being removed much, it may not heal fast enough and worse case scenario, my upper jaw bone could get infected or die. This sounds bad and it could be.
Yesterday, the oral surgeon discussed all this with me. He said he would like to refer me to a endodontist who may save my #4 through another outrageously too long of a procedure to describe and to get his opinion on #2. #2 DOES have a deep cavity and may not be salvageable so may still need to be extracted. He gave me the impression he was thinking that he really wasn't wanting to deal with the risks. He is a good guy, and I can understand considering the gravity of my situation. IF #2 needs pulling, he will be the one to do it.
I asked him about implanting something in the hole and he mentioned PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrins). My blood is placed into a centrifuge and spun to extract a gel-like substance that would go into the socket where it will form a clot. The gel will contain those parts of my blood that would speed up the healing process and recovery. Sometimes they add leukocytes (L-PRF) to include infection fighters to the mix.
I know this sounds like a bad Grade B movie, but, well.....
And once again, probably TMI, but I had to get this off my chest.
Pray for me, ok?
This past Sunday night, I had just finished my supper, and had sat down in my recliner when all of a sudden, something was in my mouth that had been in my jaw. That bridge had fallen completely out. I had mentioned that the #2 tooth had a cavity and that the crown and bridge would have to be removed during Sunday's Skype meet. Well, guess my body thought it would skip that part. So there I was with my bridge in my hand, wondering why I wasn't in any pain. (And, I must admit I was upset) I called and left a message at my dentist's office. They made me an appointment for Tuesday.
Fast forward to yesterday. I got a call from an oral surgeon my dentist had referred me to on Tuesday asking if I would like to come in instead of the appointment I was going to have in two weeks. I went at noon and the news was not good.
Background: For the last 20 years or so, I have had osteoporosis (when the cells that remove bone (osteoclasts) work faster than the ones that replace that with new bone (osteoblasts) and you start to have hole-y bones). During those years, I have been receiving IV infusions of a drug called Reclast. It comes with a risk of patients developing osteonecrosis of the jaw (jaw bone death). Although I do not have that YET, one thing that can induce it, IF you are a recipient of osteoporosis drugs (such as Reclast), is to have a tooth extraction.
Because extracting a tooth leaves a gaping hole in the bone, you would want that to heal quickly and not get infected and so on. Unfortunately, because I just had an infusion in July and my old bone hasn't been being removed much, it may not heal fast enough and worse case scenario, my upper jaw bone could get infected or die. This sounds bad and it could be.
Yesterday, the oral surgeon discussed all this with me. He said he would like to refer me to a endodontist who may save my #4 through another outrageously too long of a procedure to describe and to get his opinion on #2. #2 DOES have a deep cavity and may not be salvageable so may still need to be extracted. He gave me the impression he was thinking that he really wasn't wanting to deal with the risks. He is a good guy, and I can understand considering the gravity of my situation. IF #2 needs pulling, he will be the one to do it.
I asked him about implanting something in the hole and he mentioned PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrins). My blood is placed into a centrifuge and spun to extract a gel-like substance that would go into the socket where it will form a clot. The gel will contain those parts of my blood that would speed up the healing process and recovery. Sometimes they add leukocytes (L-PRF) to include infection fighters to the mix.
I know this sounds like a bad Grade B movie, but, well.....
And once again, probably TMI, but I had to get this off my chest.
Pray for me, ok?
