My husband had cancer under a wisdom tooth, all the way to the jaw bone, stg IV. Surgery 3/2003. Removed jaw bone, neck dissection, reconstructed jaw from leg bone with leg tissue to make a flap(new gums). Removed 57 lymph nodes, a spec of cancer in one only. He could not swallow therefore trach stayed in extra long therefore too late for radiation. Tube feeding for months. He presently has continuous pain for more than 8 years. He is on 100 mg fentanyl, 2 hydromorophone every 5 hours, vicodin 500 mg in between. Pain still approx a level 9 with all the pain meds. He has been in outpatient three times with injections to try to kill the nerve to no avail. It only deaden the left side of his face but not the pain. It only made the pain worse. Last year the ENT doc elected to do another surgery to remove the titanium plate just in case there was a screw touching a nerve. The surgery lasted 2 hours as the plate was installed 7 years ago and they did not have the "old time" tools to removed the screws, so they had everyone going through the archives of tools to find the right ones. Fortunately the leg bone had adhere to the jaw bone and they were able to remove it, but it did not do one bit of good. Only now he has a glass jaw.
He was 62 when this happened still working - these past 8+ years has put 15 years on him mentally and physically. The pain continues and I pray for him every day - pain is the most terrible thing to happen to someone - it takes their life away and is always foremost in their minds. He has never had a day without tremendous pain and the pain clincs just shake their heads. He has had accupuncture, lymph drainage specialist, tried everything possible. I am still searching for an answer. God bless all of you.