Dry-sockets, infection, and...? Ouch. I'm really, really sorry. I had issues with the wisdom teeth extraction, too...the anesthesia gave me chronic hiccups and inability to get enough calories in my system as a result of pain in my mouth made me develop a fainting disorder. It was really fun. Feel better! Take it easy and drink LOTS of milk-shakes!

# post operative infection – bacteria are a normal part of every mouth and they can cause an infection after wisdom tooth surgery. Antibiotics are always prescribed and good oral hygiene will help prevent this. Despite this, surgery sites can become infected in a small number of patients. Swelling, pain and limited jaw opening lasting more than 7 days may signal the presence of an infection. # dry socket formation – a dry socket is post extraction syndrome in which the blood clot in the tooth socket is lost. The symptoms include severe unrelenting pain usually commencing on the second or third day after a tooth is removed. It is NOT an infection, and is easily treated. Cigarette smoking is one suspected cause. # jaw joint dysfunction – occasionally the ligaments of the jaw joint become stretched as a result of having the mouth opened widely during surgery. A patient may experience some discomfort in and around the jaw joints and this may be relieved by applying heat (with a hot pack or water bottle) over the joint for 15 to 20 minutes twice daily. For more effective relief of discomfort, a non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (soluble aspirin or Nurofen) may be used. Symptoms should resolve within 7 to 10 days. # nerve damage – an impacted wisdom tooth in the lower jaw is often very close to two nerves – the inferior alveolar and lingual nerves. The inferior alveolar nerve provides sensation to the lower lip and chin, and the lingual nerve provides sensation to the front part of the tongue on each side. Due to the close proximity of lower wisdom teeth to these nerves, they are occasionally injured during the removal of lower wisdom teeth – despite every precaution being taken to protect them during surgery. Bleeding in the area may also compress these nerves. Injury to these nerves may cause some numbness or tingling in the lip, chin or tongue after the local anaesthetic wears off. This numbness may take some weeks or months to resolve, and in a small number of cases it may be permanent. Your oral surgeon should be able, with the aid of your x-ray, to give you an indication if nerve damage is likely. # sinus opening – because the sinuses in the upper jaw are closely associated with the upper wisdom teeth, there is a small chance that when a wisdom tooth is removed, an opening into the sinus may be created. If this occurs and does not heal spontaneously, a second procedure may be necessary to close it. # bleeding – it is normal for there to be some residual oozing of blood from the surgery site for some hours after removal of wisdom teeth. If bleeding persists, pressure with gauze packs over the surgery site for about 1 hour may stop it. If it does not, you should contact your oral surgeon for advice