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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Have Swollen Retromolar Trigone. Chewing Is Difficult. Painful And Swollen Gums. Cure?

Hi, I have a swollen retromolar trigone, that makes it difficult to open my mouth more than about an inch, and chewing is difficult. This is about the 3rd time it has happened. The other times it only really hurt when chewing. But this time there is a throbbing pain a lot of the time. and it really hurts, somtimes making my gums swell as well
posted on Sat, 1 Jun 2013
Twitter Thu, 6 Jun 2013 Answered on
Twitter Thu, 6 Jun 2013 Last reviewed on
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Dentist,  's  Response
Hello,
Most likely, you have infection around a third molar, sometimes called a "wisdom tooth". It can cause a sensation of throbbing or pressure. That could account for the swelling and the sporadic nature. Swelling, can impede function and make it difficult to open or close. An analogy would be a swollen ankle that is not as mobile and hurts to use.
Wisdom teeth are not always visible in the mouth. A set of x-rays would help determine if a third molar is the culprit, and also what type of extraction would be necessary.
There is also a slight possibility that you may have capsulitis of the TMJ. That would account for the inability to open, but not for the swelling.
You're best course of action would be to see a dentist and have them evaluate to either confirm or eliminate wisdom teeth as the culprit.
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Have Swollen Retromolar Trigone. Chewing Is Difficult. Painful And Swollen Gums. Cure?

Hello, Most likely, you have infection around a third molar, sometimes called a wisdom tooth . It can cause a sensation of throbbing or pressure. That could account for the swelling and the sporadic nature. Swelling, can impede function and make it difficult to open or close. An analogy would be a swollen ankle that is not as mobile and hurts to use. Wisdom teeth are not always visible in the mouth. A set of x-rays would help determine if a third molar is the culprit, and also what type of extraction would be necessary. There is also a slight possibility that you may have capsulitis of the TMJ. That would account for the inability to open, but not for the swelling. You re best course of action would be to see a dentist and have them evaluate to either confirm or eliminate wisdom teeth as the culprit.