Why has pain and swelling plateaued after extraction?

[Captainhowdy666]

I’m on day 8 (nearly day 9) since my molar extraction. The pain and swelling has plateaued since day 5- not getting worse but not getting better, either. The roof of my mouth is swollen where I’ve circled (you can’t really tell on the pic but it is bulging) and the pain is a dull ache and sore constantly. It’s not horrific, but it’s enough to make me not want to talk or eat much. I’ve done salt rinses multiple times a day, every day. The dentist saw me on day 5 and said it wasn’t infected or dry socket. He just said it was a difficult extraction and might take longer. But there’s no improvement at all- like I said it has plateaued. Any ideas?

 

[Dr M]

If it is already on day 8 and not getting better, it might be a sign of a dry socket. Do you have a bad taste in your mouth or smell? The redness indicates some inflammation present. Have you been taking any anti-inflammatory medicine?
A dry socket is self-limiting, which means that it will resolve itself without any intervention.
If the pain is not getting worse and is manageable, I would suggest maybe just continue with anti-inflammatory medication and be a little more patient.
Difficult extractions due sometimes take longer to heal.