Tooth extraction damaged sinus

[Jim Greenfield]

I had an upper left molar tooth removed 2 days ago. It was a fairly difficult extraction. Last night doing my salt water mouth rinse per the dentist's instructions, I did some reasonably forceful swishing to get any debris out of the socket only to find water coming down my left nostril. From researching on Google this seems to point to a hole in the maxillary sinus.
It is said the empty socket should heal within a week and the sinus gradually mend itself. Are there any implications for a diving trip to Indonesia starting 27 October please? Diving will be no more than 25m depth. I am otherwise perfectly fit.
Jim

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi Jim,

The soft tissue should definitely heal after 10-ish weeks but it would be worth visiting your oral surgeon before the drop-dead cancellation date for your trip. There are a couple of theoretical hazard. The first would be a pressure differential between your sinus and your mouth disrupting the healing tissue there. As long as your sinus drains normally that should not be an issue. The second would be pathogenic organisms getting into a still-healing area and causing infection. An intact layer of soft tissue in your mouth and sinus should prevent this but again, definitely worth a visit to your oral surgeon after you've begun to heal and before the penalty date for your trip (if that's possible).

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Jim Greenfield]

Very helpful - many thanks

 

[lowflyer]

I had an upper left molar tooth removed 2 days ago. It was a fairly difficult extraction. Last night doing my salt water mouth rinse per the dentist's instructions, I did some reasonably forceful swishing to get any debris out of the socket only to find water coming down my left nostril. From researching on Google this seems to point to a hole in the maxillary sinus.
It is said the empty socket should heal within a week and the sinus gradually mend itself. Are there any implications for a diving trip to Indonesia starting 27 October please? Diving will be no more than 25m depth. I am otherwise perfectly fit.
Jim

I am not a dentist, but have had several extractions. I was always told not to forcefully rinse the socket but to do it gently to wash out any debris without washing out the granulation tissue that needs to develop to gradually heal the socket. There is also less pain if that granulation tissue forms. This gentle approach should also decrease the pushing of stuff into the sinus.

 

[KeithG]

i also am not a medical expert but there maybe some non diving things you want to consider...
- was this "just" an extraction?
- or are you getting a replacement implant?
- if you are getting an implant, are you using a bone graft?
If so, You may want to check back with your periodontist as you may have lost the bone graft donor material?