Referred to oral Surgeon and scared

[Snowgirl82]

I went to the dentist for an exam and cleaning. He found a dark spot in my x ray where I had a molar removed a few years back. He said he doesn’t know what it is and would like an oral surgeon to take a look. He told me not to worry “yet”. The soonest the oral surgeon can get me in for initial consultation is in 4 weeks. I am so nervous and scared at what this lesion in the jaw bone could be. His note on referral says please evaluate the radiopaque/radiolucent area in lower left near #19. He also told me that in his years of looking at x rays everyday he has only seen this a couple of times.

[roseanxiety]

Did he say it was a lesion or just a dark spot ? It has probably been there since you had the tooth pulled. It is symptomless, right? That’s good. I know it’s pointless to tell you not to worry so i won’t . But at least try to keep your mind off it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Snowgirl82]

The oral surgeons office referred to it as a lesion when I called. I’m trying hard not to jump to the worst but such a long wait is going to eat away at me. I have two small children😢

---------- Post added at 14:15 ---------- Previous post was at 14:13 ----------

Dentist indicated that dark spot means absence of bone in spot where there should be bone. Something else takes the place of the bone. Tooth was removed about 7 or 8 years ago. This is the first time it has been mentioned. I am at a new dentist, but I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it.

---------- Post added at 14:18 ---------- Previous post was at 14:15 ----------

And to answer your question, yes. Symptomless other than a little jaw pain a while ago but that was only for a couple of days and way before I found any of this out. I have no visible signs in my mouth if not for the panoramic and bitewing x rays he took.

[roseanxiety]

The bone could certainly have eroded away. Mine did from having a missing tooth and i had to have bone graft to get an implant.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Snowgirl82]

Roseanxiety, did it show up as a circle on the x ray? I’m really hoping it is nothing sinister. The months wait is horrible😢

[Fishmanpa]

The months wait is horrible😢

Months? If it were serious or urgent, you wouldn't be waiting months.

Positive thoughts

[Snowgirl82]

Fishmanpa I forgot the apostrophe in month’s. My appointment is February 26th. I guess the same logic would still apply? If it were too concerning so you think he would rush the referral?

[AlexandriaUK]

I went to see cancer screening nurse and she referred me to see hospital orthodontics and they scared the out of me doing special x-rays, turned out a bad extraction had removed some of my jawbone and left an empty space and a bit further a lump, was not normal but fine

[Snowgirl82]

Thank you, everyone. I’m going to try my best to assume it will be okay until the oral surgeon says anything otherwise. Always easier said than done. I would love nothing more than to have this be something small and insignificant. I know two people that had to have part of their jaw removed and replaced with leg/hip bone and metal plates because of cancer in the jaw. I guess I just have that haunting my anxiety on top of the x ray findings.

[roseanxiety]

I’m not sure because they didn’t say. It doesn’t sound sinister . That’s your health anxiety . Remember you had the molar extracted years ago. It could have been there since. And also it could just be a shadow on the X-ray.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Fishmanpa]

Fishmanpa I forgot the apostrophe in month’s. My appointment is February 26th. I guess the same logic would still apply? If it were too concerning so you think he would rush the referral?

When my doctor suspected something was up with the node in my neck, I was sent for a CT literally within hours and booked with an ENT/Oncologist within a week (5 days). The ENT did a FNAB that day and I had my results again within a few days.

My experience is not unlike many I know who were diagnosed.

Positive thoughts

[Imaleopard]

My husband had this exact thing happen a year ago. The oral surgeon reviewed the xrays and said it was just a cementoma, which is apparently nothing.

[Snowgirl82]

My dentist told me that the oral surgeon would do a cone beam ct and possibly biopsy to see if it’s pathological. This is the part that has me wondering if he should be making this more urgent. The other part of me is saying that this could just be him being extra cautious and trying to prepare me for what to expect.

[Imaleopard]

My husband said they just did a regular X-ray again and told him it was a cementoma and that they’d monitor it but most likely they wouldn’t have to do anything about it. It was the size of a nickel. My mom had something the size of a dime and they told her the same thing, but I don’t think they called it a cementoma.

[Snowgirl82]

My husband said they just did a regular X-ray again and told him it was a cementoma and that they’d monitor it but most likely they wouldn’t have to do anything about it. It was the size of a nickel. My mom had something the size of a dime and they told her the same thing, but I don’t think they called it a cementoma.

Thank you. This makes me feel a little better. The receptionist said to try to put it out of my mind. She said the Dr sees lesions and all sorts of things all of the time and it’s no use worryingly until I see him. I had called on Friday to ask if they had a call list I could be put on for cancellations. She said she would add me but they don’t have many consultation appointments cancelled usually.

My dark spot only appeared to be about pea-sized and pretty perfectly round. Do they know what the cause of your husband’s or your mom’s was? Is there a particular reason cementomas form?

[Imaleopard]

No, there was no reason given for either of them. Their’s were perfectly round too.

[Snowgirl82]

A coworker told me this morning that her daughter had a similar situation. They thought it was a tumor but it turned out that they left a tooth fragment behind with previous extraction and over the years a cyst developed around it. My dentist told me this almost never happens but it is a possibility. She had to have surgery to remove fragment and cyst but was fine. I’m hoping that is what mine is. The oral surgeon had to break my tooth into pieces to remove it years ago and that is the approximate location of the spot on the x ray.

[roseanxiety]

I bet that’s what it is .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lana]

Snowball84,
What caught my eye in your posts is that a dentist told you he has seen in only a few times in his practice. What kind of jerk doctor says that? I hate doctors/dentist like that, and I always change them - I am not paying them big money to be inconsiderate *******s. It is one thing to be cautious and responsible doctor, but to scare us - sometimes some of them are so horrible. I had last year, due to huge stress and anxiety, half side of inside of my mouth in small wounds. It appeared almost overnight, I was scared out of my mind. The dentist who saw me was clueless, and then he called his colleague to show him something he has never seen before! Needless to say, they saw me never after that. I went to my old trusted dermatologist who took a look and said with the smile: you have shingles. They happen inside the mouth , not that often, but I definitely saw a good share of them. It will go away in a week or ten days, just rest...I also believe it is really nothing with you , serious oral illness are actually very rare, especially cancers . You are young and healthy, and it is nothing, you will see.

[Snowgirl82]

Thanks, everyone. Lana, that is kind of what I thought. I told him when I got there that I have anxiety! 😂 I told my husband I wish he had left the part out about having only seen it a couple of times. It wouldn’t change my outcome and I wouldn’t have stressed “quite” as much. Let’s face it- we know I still would have stressed at least a little. He does seem like a nice dentist overall, though, and I think he was just trying to be completely honest. I have decided to stick with the fragment theory until I go to the oral surgeon😊

[ErinKC]

I think doctors can forget how what they say affects patients. So many of them are just really into what they do and get genuinely excited to see something unique. I would bet that's why he mentioned that. It doesn't have to be something bad just because it's rare!

I have all of my wisdom teeth in my mouth and one of them is only like this little mini half tooth. My dentist recently sent me for a evaluation with an oral surgeon to see if I needed a root canal on one of my teeth and the guy was so into my tiny tooth, haha. He kept bringing people in to look at the x-ray and they were all, "WHAT IS THAT?!" I try to take it as a sign I have a good doctor/dentist/etc... who really has passion for his work!

[Snowgirl82]

Today was supposed to be the day. I have been waiting 5 weeks just for this consultation. They called this morning to cancel due to an emergency at the hospital and told me the absolute soonest they have for me is April 4th😕 Another 5 weeks to sit with this and wait.

[lofwyr]

Then that should put you at ease. There is absolutely ZERO chance they would put you off over another month if anyone thought this was serious. When I got a diagnosis that was serious, I was referred to a cardiothoracic surgeon that moment, the scheduler came in immediately. They then cleared an appt for me at the surgeon's office so I could be seen four days later. If they have now put you off over two months, there should be little to worry about.

[Snowgirl82]

Then that should put you at ease. There is absolutely ZERO chance they would put you off over another month if anyone thought this was serious. When I got a diagnosis that was serious, I was referred to a cardiothoracic surgeon that moment, the scheduler came in immediately. They then cleared an appt for me at the surgeon's office so I could be seen four days later. If they have now put you off over two months, there should be little to worry about.

I have the referral letter and X-ray for the initial consultation. He has no idea what is being postponed😕 The oral surgeon hasn’t seen anything yet. I’ve been having pain in that area now and I’m trying to convince myself it is nothing, but it’s bringing the worry back. I had pushed my anxiety aside and was ready to deal with this and hear what the oral surgeon had to say. The new 5 week wait has ignited the anxiety all over again.

[NancyW]

Today was supposed to be the day. I have been waiting 5 weeks just for this consultation. They called this morning to cancel due to an emergency at the hospital and told me the absolute soonest they have for me is April 4th😕 Another 5 weeks to sit with this and wait.

No reason for you to have to wait that long and drive yourself crazy, ask to be put on a cancellation list or call another oral surgeon.

[ErinKC]

I agree with NancyW. I would call around to other oral surgeons to find an appointment. I was having a ton of paid a few months back and thought I would finally need a root canal on a tooth I got a crown on a few years ago (turns out the tooth pain was from a perfect storm of a sinus infection and TMJ, so no root canal!). My dentist recommended an oral surgeon, but they didn't have an appointment for a week, so I looked online and found one with good reviews even closer to my house and they got me in 2 days later. I'm sure you can find someone with an earlier appointment and then just call your dentist and have them send the referral there if you need one for your insurance.

[Snowgirl82]

Back with an update. The oral surgeon had to go deep into the jawbone to remove 2 fragments of tooth left behind from the previous surgical removal as well as the tissue that was expanding around it. It was extremely painful the first day but my stitches have fallen out and swelling is down again now. I was nervous because he insisted I have an antibiotic despite my history of antibiotic induced cdiff. He told me an IV antibiotic would not cause a recurrence and surely one dose would be safe. I am doing well so far and doubled up on probiotics, but even my primary dr said he was wrong in what he told me and had me do. She said we can’t undo it now, so fingers crossed I don’t get it again. Last time I was 4 months out when it happened. I am also going back on Tuesday for a recheck and to review the pathology. Any time they remove tissue they have to send it out. Hoping all is fine.

[Fishmanpa]

Thanks for the update. Glad everything went well :) (I knew it world ;))

Positive thoughts

[NancyW]

Thank you so much for the update, so many threads come to a dead stop and we have no idea of the outcome.

What a miserable thing for you to have to go through! I am sorry that you had to go through that. It does make sense that tooth fragments caused the issue... and yep, got to send it out. I'm sure it will be fine.

[Snowgirl82]

Thanks for the update. Glad everything went well :) (I knew it world ;))

Positive thoughts


Found out at my checkup that pathology came back as a super rare tumor. CEOT (calcifying epithelial Odontogenic tumor. Only 200 documented cases. Not sure if he got it all so he will be monitoring with scans every 4 months to see if he needs to go back in. It’s a benign but invasive tumor and the fact that not many have been documented makes this nerve wracking.