Nasal passage blocked

Taml, Thank you for sharing your experience after a root canal. My situation is very similar. I had a root canal 8 months ago on upper tooth number 14 . The night of the procedure my left nostril closed up completely and the next day tons of fluid , blackish blood came out of nostril. My left nostril has been blocked for months with agonizing pain on left side of nose and upper left cheek. I have pain also in my neck left side with tingling.

I have been on numerous antibiotics along with tons of steroid sprays and prednisone.

After months of being told my dental x ray and my cone beam scans are clean finally one oral surgeon pointed out I had gutta percha that was.overfilled in to my sinus and various parts of my gum. This meant that my sinus lining was punctured. I saw the Endodontist and dentist who did the root canal and crown who never mentioned the overfill in my sinus.

This has been a nightmare due to to agonizing pain I have in my left nostril and upper right cheek . It feels as if my nose and upper left cheek are broken.

All the dental providers tell me the tooth is fine and that the overfill has shrunk a little so they are refusing to pull the tooth. They claim they don’t see an infection and that to pull the tooth will cause even more damage since it sits under my sinus. They say I have little bone and to remove will be a huge problem.

I’m so depressed and in so much pain. I actually feel suicidal at times due to my pain . I found every medical provider dismissive since my scans are not showing an infection just the gutta percha that they claim should not be causing this degree of pain. Thank you very much for sharing your story.

OMG..... OMG..... Horrible. Can't the oral surgeon that told you about it pull it. Or is it in such a position now, they are afraid it will damage sinuses when pulled. They just want to leave infection in there?????. Can you find a neurologist that can tell them it has to be pulled, or can go into your brain. Doctors and dentists believe dental infections never spread to other parts of your body. Even though you read all the time it can go to your heart ... Maybe a lawyer might be able to help you. Especially since it's still in there? You definitely need a new dentist I guess. I remember about 8 months after mine 25+ years ago, I still couldn't chew on it. Went for 2nd opinion. 2nd dentist said, " it's a little into your sinus, but isn't a problem. Never telling me the root canal was incomplete, only 1 root out of 3 was cleared.
Maybe if you find a holistic, mercury free dentist... They are all about only healthy things in your mouth. They pull teeth with metal and mercury and do ceramic implants instead of titanium... So sad for you. All ideas for now. Good luck.

Researched. Says Gutta Percha is a thermolastic filling derived from a Malaysian plant. I don't think it's something you want in your sinus. Maybe it doesn't show as an infection because it's not closed up because it keeps draining out of you sinus. I think a holistic dentist might have good ideas..... Fingers crossed and prayers. Thinking of you.

Thank you very much for your thoughtful reply. I agree with you about finding a holistic dentist perhaps they work closely with an Oral Surgeon who would consider removing it. It has been challenging because the one Oral Surgeon who discovered the gutta percha says it should be pulled bit it was beyond his expertise to pull a tooth that is under my sinus. The other dental providers Two Oral Maxillofacial surgeons have flat out refused due to not seeing an infection and consider the tooth healthy.

I also want to research ozone to see if that can perhaps kill an infection if no one will remove the tooth.

I wish the dental community would acknowledge that dental infections are present even when they don’t show up on 3 d cone beam scans and ct scans . I saw a total of 4 ENT Doctors as well. My last ENT did say I most likely have an infection still even when it is not showing up on imaging . He gave me 10 days of clindamcychin 150 mg per pill every 4 hours. I felt better for about 2 weeks. He advised to pull the tooth as well but it has been challenging to find anyone willing to do it.

Thanks again for your kind reply and for sharing your story.

Hi again.... I reread your original msg. It was like I guessed. The 1st person put such a hole in your sinus, they are afraid of now removing it. My guess again is. It is infected, they just can't see it because it won't build up in there like a regular abscess because it is still draining out of your sinus. ( Like it shouldn't be) if the maxofacial surgeons won't do it, it must be serious. Maybe a very good plastic surgeon.??? I know when I would get my cough for months, I used to pray for a fever so someone would take me seriously.
Oh..... How can they say it's a perfectly good tooth. If you had a root canal, it's a dead tooth...... The holistic dentist is your best bet I think. Besides a lawyer..
Covid has made anything medical 5x more difficult. If I think of anything else I'll let you know. Take care. T

Thanks again for your time and possible path forward . I I almost fainted in the office when the first oral surgeon told me about the gutta percha in my sinus. My current ENT also said he thinks the two Oral Maxillofacial surgeons do not want to touch another Doctors mistake .

I also want to pursue possible legal action just to help pay for the thousands and I have paid between the tooth and all of these specialists. The root canal and crown was $:3500 and all of the ENT, Urgent Care and the Dental specialists , scans and medication have been close to 5,000 a total of $8,500 to be In agonizing pain. I live in NYC so that is probably why the cost has been so high just for a root canal and crown let alone all of the other Doctors. I hope I can have a lawyer take this just so I can perhaps find a path forward in regard to finding a medical provider willing to remove the tooth. From what the two Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons said the gutta percha turns into cement after a few weeks. The Oral Maxillofacial surgeons said they think it would be almost impossible to remove the material. I think you are right about the hole it probably will be very difficult. The various scans claim the sinus floor is intact but I think a very microscopic hole must still be present that is letting bacteria into my sinus.

Again thank you and I appreciate your sincere concern and suggestions.

hi cat100 ----
Thinking of you ..... I don't believe you need a hole for the infection to effect you. I think I mentioned , after taking antibiotics every year for severe cough, Junk came out of sinus and cough quit and could breath through my nose , but the drainage never quit. The day I left the surgeons office from getting my tooth pulled, My 26 day migraine was gone, my long distance vision was clear ( I had worn glasses for driving for 10+ yrs) my severe neck and low back pain was gone . - for 4 days. Vision stayed clear, rest of pain came back. NOW ... haven't had my cough since Aug17,2019 *Tooth pull day.* My migraines have almost totally disappeared. ENT"s did CT scans over the years and never saw anything. I always told everyone I think I have a secret infection pocket in my head, why else does my severe cough stay after a 3 day cold was gone. Always called it acute sinusitis. I never had a fever, ever....
You need to get to where you feel safe and pain free. I am not a dentist or doctor, so I don't believe them when they say it doesn't effect other parts of you. I have a 1875 medical dictionary I found at a second hand store for fun. I bet this belief might be in there .... Dum-dums.......I know it must hurt your gut to pull that expensive pretty tooth back out. But I think you know what to do. NOTE - whenever I tell a doctor or dentist what happened they don't believe me. " These things sometimes resolve themselves at an older age" OH MAN.?????
Take care. T

I see my current ENT in the 3rd week of Jan. He is the only ENT that acknowledge I likely had a dental infection causing regardless of having clean scans. I plan to ask him if he talk to the Oral Maxillofacial surgeon who referred me to my current ENT. I want him to convey that he has tried many things and this is most likely the problem. I never had breathing issues or pain prior to the root canal.

When you had your tooth pulled did you need a sinus lift as well? All the dental providers are saying tooth #14 sits under my sinus and are freaking me out about all of the possible complications. I feel even if the only pull the tooth and refuse to go past the sinus wall for the gutta percha I’m at least closer to resolving this nightmare.

If this doesn’t work I’m looking into a holistic Dentist and after that perhaps a dental school.

Thanks so much for the encouragement and very thoughtful replies. I’ll check back when I have an update.

Have a wonderful New Year and continue to enjoy your amazing recovery after so many years of pain.

Hi....
I don't know the number. my tooth pulled was the last tooth top on my right side. Leaving the surgeon's office Aug 2019, my distance vision was clear, migraine was gone, neck and low back pain was gone. Constant drainage was gone. Breathing was clear. Pain came back 4 days later. Long distance vision stayed clear, I still don't need glasses to drive as I did for at least 10 years prior. ( Note- my vision was always worse with migraine) My migraines have almost disappeared. So , no, my sinuses were back to perfect after that I guess. My root canal was done approximately 1986-1987. So I don't think they had "Heated Thermoplastic Malaysian Plant Gupe" or Malaysian Cement back then. ( another note, they could only see my infection with a 3D xray, I'm guessing that was my dentists excuse for never mentioning it)
That tooth came out easy.
Still breathing is clear..... always clear... haven't had a cold since. But I'm still masking.
Best of everything for your new year! Stay safe. T

New Years wish - That someone from Mayo will read this and learn a lesson and quit telling people a dental infection (abcess) without a fever, doesn't cause problems anywhere else. Right Mayo ENTs and Mayo dentists???

@seekinginfo, @zaa, @ess77, and for all of those bothered by a blocked nasal passage, I thought you might be interested in an article about a nasal implant that might provide relief to some patients who have a specific type of nasal obstruction.

Here is the link to the article, https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-nasal-implantsess77
@seekinginfo, @zaa, @ess77,

For all of those bothered by a blocked nasal passage, I thought you might be interested in an article about a nasal implant that might provide relief to some patients who have nasal obstruction.

Here is the link to the article, https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-nasal-implants/