Okay, so, I gotta share this because it was seriously wild. It all started with these weird pains in my jaw, and like, I’m not one to rush to the doctor for every little thing. I just figured it was stress or maybe I was grinding my teeth at night. But it kept getting worse, and then my face started swelling up. That’s when I knew something was really wrong.
The Initial Shock
I finally went to see my dentist, and after a bunch of poking and prodding (and some seriously uncomfortable X-rays), he told me I had something called “cavitation.” I was like, “What the heck is that?” Turns out, it’s basically a hole in your jawbone, and it can get infected. Mine was super infected.
Getting Ready for Surgery
My dentist sent me to an oral surgeon, and this guy was a total pro. He explained everything super clearly. He was showed me the X-rays and all the damage. He said we needed to do surgery to clean out the infection and get rid of the cavitation. I was freaked out, obviously, but I trusted him. He walked me through the whole process, what to expect, the recovery, everything.
Before the surgery, I had to do a bunch of prep stuff. I had to take antibiotics to start fighting the infection, and I couldn’t eat or drink anything for hours beforehand. They also did some blood work to make sure I was healthy enough for the surgery.
The Surgery Itself
Honestly, the surgery itself is a blur. They put me under general anesthesia, so I was completely out. I remember waking up in the recovery room feeling super groggy and my jaw was throbbing, but they gave me pain meds right away, so it was manageable.
The Recovery Process
The first few days after the surgery were rough. My face was swollen, I could barely open my mouth, and I was on a liquid diet. Soup, smoothies, yogurt – that was my life. I also had to be really careful about keeping the surgery site clean. Lots of rinsing with salt water and being super gentle with my toothbrush.
- Swelling and Bruising: My face looked like a chipmunk for a while, but the swelling gradually went down.
- Pain Management: The pain meds were a lifesaver, especially for the first few days.
- Diet Restrictions: Soft foods only! It was a challenge, but I knew it was important for healing.
- Follow-Up Appointments: I had a few check-ups with the surgeon to make sure everything was healing properly.
Feeling Like Myself Again
It took a few weeks, but I slowly started to feel normal again. The swelling went down, the pain went away, and I could finally eat solid food! It was such a relief. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted. The infection was gone, and my jaw was finally healing.
This whole experience was scary, for real. I’m not usually sharing personal stuff, but I hope my experience helps others. It’s all good now. And I’m super grateful for that oral surgeon and my dentist, because I am pretty sure it saved my life. Seriously.
