Tooth extraction Q

[mjd]

Firstly, not a medical thread as treatment has already been carried out.
I had a tooth pulled 2 weeks ago. No major drama, other than the fact that despite 45mins of trying the dentist couldnt get the roots out after shearing off the top of the tooth. Apparently leaving these in place is no problem and they will work their way out naturally.
After the tooth was pulled the dentist took what seemed to be a bundle of short hairs/fibres and packed them into the socket. This left a noticeably medicated taste for a few days.

Does anyone have any idea what this stuff is? I have googled high and low and didnt have the foresight to ask at the time.It appears to be rising to the surface as the gum heals.

 

[mjd]

I have an appointment in two weeks for more work, so will certainly ask if I dont manage to find out myself.

 

[mjd]

I thought it maybe clove oil, as it wasnt totally dissimilar in taste to the temporary filling gunk I used prior to seeing the dentist. My last extraction would have been 20 years ago, so things have clearly changed somewhat. Not sure a hairy gum is particularly becoming, but it seems to have done a resonably good job of filling the hole and preventing infection.

 

[mjd]

Alvogel most likely.

Usually only put in when there is a dry socket, but maybe he was placing it in advance to try and stop one. I'm surprised it not alreayd away, its usually out of place much more quickly, by dissolution or the fibres simply falling and working out of place.

I'd assume he got some portion of the roots, or maybe one or more from a multirooted tooth, else there wouldn't really be any space in which to introduce the fibres of the alvogel.

Contains loads of good stuff, from topical anaesthetics to nice things to kill bugs.

Thats it - I knew she'd asked the assistant for something by name, but after 4 shots and all the pushing and shoving it escaped me. The fibres ahave risen to the gum line and whilst they havent vanished, feel loose to touch with my tongue. I was also given a weeks supply of anitbiotics and have been religously swilling with TCP once things had settled down. No sign (or pong) of infection so it clearly did what it was meant to do.
I have no idea exactly how much of the tooth was left in, but there was considerable effort to fracture and remove the roots.

Thank you

 

[mjd]

Ah, the old 'stuff some pubes into the victims mouth' gag.
I didn't think they did that anymore.

Does it taste salty by any chance?
If yes, don't ask any more questions, you almost certainly don't want to know.

Ironically, this is exactly how I described said fibres to my wife that evening.