Karen,
My flap also failed because of blood flow. I had part of my jaw
removed and reconstruction from my shoulder bone. After 22
days, it failed and I had to have emergency surgery to remove
the flap and the bone and then my pectoral muscle put in to hold
me together.
I have had some of my bone resorb and I have a loose molar to this day. My oncology dentist wants to pull it before it becomes infected, but I went to my regular dentist for a cleanng and he freaked out and sent me to a specialist who was his friend. This guy told me just to wait it out and check on the bone after a couple of months, as long as It did not get infected.
My ENT liked his advise, because he said an oral surgeon would
want to replace my whole jaw with a metal tray. Oh how horrible.
He suspected that all the holes they drilled into my jawbone to
install the bone from my back were causing the resorption and that it would eventually heal over. I am still waiting, I have an
appointment in September for a panorex to check on bone loss.
I feel anymore trauma to the bone, like in pulling that tooth would just cause more bone loss.
I quess my point is that you have to weigh everything that is told to you. Oral surgeons sometimes go way overboard.
It is just a waiting game and somedays I am comfortable and some days I would love to have this tooth gone.
Good luck to you,
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions (or anwers)!!
Debbie