Saturday, December 17, 2011

If i'm unhappy with an oral surgeon, should i try to find another one to get a second opinion and to treat me?

last thursday, i had a molar extracted on my lower left side. this was a tooth that i had a filling and root c done on, and it still was causing me problems. i was given a zpack and percocet, along with a brochure of post op instructions which included directions on alternating motrin/tylenol, and using warm cloths by the third day. over the weekend, i developed a very rotten taste in my mouth, and could hardly open it. i called the drs office 1st thing monday morning, & they told me to come in which i promptly did. the dr came in, but i had the feeling that he felt i was wasting his time, and that was the minute he came in. he did not ask me what was wrong, just very quickly looked at the site, told me there was no infection, just that it was very ulcerated, whatever this means. was undecided about giving me an antibiotic...instead gave me a rx for peridex. he did not tell me how to use it, the label just says to rinse my mouth with a teaspoon of it. does not say how often. i asked if he could please change my pain rx, as it didn't seem to be helping. he said initially, to just take aleve, but grudgingly gave me another rx of percocet. have done everything as told, or not told...taking aleve every 4 hrs as well. by tuesday, my lower front teeth were very sore, and i have been having sharp pains in my left ear, the surgical site is extremely tender, i can't put pressure on that side at all, and it still feels very swollen. called the office yesterday afternoon to inform them of this, had to s/w the nurse, who told me a)the symptoms sounded like muscular problems from me grinding my teeth during the day, which i don't do, and b)as she remembered me, she said i have a type a personality, i'm wound too tight, and psychologically i'm making things worse. i had a follow up appt today, and again, felt like i was wasting his time, he quickly looked at the site, said it looked good, again did not ask how i was feeling, in fact, he brushed me off. would not change my medicine, he said because i smoked prior to the extraction, i was self inflicting pain in my mouth..i would have to tough it out. i have never been so mortified, and i don't think i want to see him ever again. on my initial visit, he did not say i was doing or causing discomfort, he said the tooth had to come out, and he charged me over $1200 to do this. i'm upset because i know what i'm feeling, i know that my mouth hurts. is it common for negative effects to occur after an extraction procedure like this? also, he put a bone graft in the spot where he removed the molar. what exactly is this? what is it for? how long will it be before i can have an implant placed there? can i go to someone else to do this? will it hurt like this?

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