I was dealing with impacted wisdom tooth, infections, teeth problems, extractions, ORN, and jaw replacement for about 6 years, and some of your ailments, and questions sound familiar.

I was on and off, and then on long term antibiotics, Augmentin, 800mg, 2x a day, and when I stopped sometimes the abscess returned, and then was on long term antibiotics once I had ORN after my teeth extractions in the 3rd molar. which is often associated with osteomyltitis too. I also used chlorhexidine rinse after each meal, and had weekly debridements at the dental oncologist's office.

For my tooth extractions, I had 20 HBOT before, and 10 after, following the Marx Protocol, to help in healing and help prevent ORN, which occurred anyway. Infection is not ORN. ORN is exposed bone, after radiation, for a period of three months, and there are different grades, l-lll with the Marx Protocol. Early ORN, stage l, can be treated conservatively, but late stage can only be treated surgically.

As far as tests, I've had a Panaramic dental scan, a dentascan, which is a dental CT, a regular CT with no contrast due to kidney issues, and a normally scheduled PET scan, which helped in diagnosing infection, ORN. A blood test could show an infection, but I think sometimes it doesn't, but it's good to have, and neither does a fever have to be present just going by past experience. You have to be careful with infections as they can go systemic, especially in the gums/teeth.

Yes, HBOT can be beneficial without surgery as I mentioned, and it's often used to treat early ORN conservatively with antibiotics, maybe with pentafoxiline and vitamin E to increase blood flow.

Only a doctor can give you an accurate diagnosis of ORN, which is exposed jaw bone for 3 months or longer after you had radiation. It's not an infection, but that may accompany it. ORN is radiation plus an injury like from an extraction, dentures, surgery.

I'm not familiar with or had cold laser therapy, but heard of it.

I hope this helps.