Surgeon says this is not dry socket, but I have excruciating pain for days. See pic.

[juliemra]

Everything seemed normal until post surgery day 3 and I woke up with horrible pain in my lower extractions. I called the doc and he said it was muscle pain. I'm 47 with a long medical history so this isn't my first rodeo and I know the difference between muscle and nerve pain. I sent this pic to him and he said he couldn't tell from the pic. I went in today after being in terrible pain for 48 hours and he didn't see me. Instead an assistant told me all about jaw pain and how that is what they think I have. Of course the terrible pain is coming from the lower extraction sites. No one looked at my teeth. They originally told me I would start feeling better a few days after surgery and the pain would basically be gone. Now they say it is normal to have this kind of pain and it may take weeks. I feel like I'm losing my mind and I really just want relief. Opinions?
Note: I've been putting cotton pellets soaked in honey in the sockets after I numb them. I take Hydrocodone every 3-4 hours and 4 Ibuprophen in between doses. It doesn't take away the pain but it does help a little. I also use heat and cold compresses. I am taking an antibiotic and rinsing with salt water through the day.

 

[honestdoc]

Are you having any swelling? No swelling means no antibiotics. It is hard to know if you have dry socket from the image. Next time you see the assistant, ask for 2 things...gentle irrigation with Peridex 0.12% Chlorhexidine rinse and Dry Socket Paste.

 

[juliemra]

So seeing a bone is not necessarily a bad thing? What would cause such tremendous pain if it's not dry socket. I don't have swelling now. I am a diabetic so an antibiotic is probably a good thing.

 

[MattKW]

Dry sockets are typically diagnosed from : pain starting 3-4 days post-op, unbearable pain that doesn't respond to painkillers, foul taste and breath. There is no point taking antibiotics as this is not an infection but a breakdown in the normal healing pathway. The wound should be gently flushed out (I prefer CHX), and dressed with either a proprietory substance like "Alveogyl" or a zinc oxide/eugenol dressing until the healing catches up (usu ~ another 3 days). The dentist may need to give you some anaesthetic just in order to achieve these steps. He didn't even see you? - don't take No for an answer, threaten to call the ADA. That's very unprofessional and neglecting his "Duty of Care".

 

[juliemra]

Thank you for your helpful response. It is now 11 days past the surgery and I am still in horrible pain. My condition fits the dry socket pattern and symptoms. I am taking care of it by flushing with saltwater and using Sockit! or cloves with cotton pellets. I take Hydrocodone and 4 Ibuprofen every 4 hours and they barely touch the pain. The holes do seem to be getting narrower but I wonder if my diabetes is slowing down the healing. I don't know what else I can do for the pain and I do not want to miss more work. I haven't reached out to the dentist again simply because he was so dismissive and insisted it was normal jaw pain after surgery. I don't understand why he wouldn't look at my sites or consider the pain that I described. I am assuming that once the holes close the pain will cease? Is this correct?