Well, about 5 days ago, I bit myself pretty damn hard on my lower lip, right infront on my lower front teeth (slightly centered to the right side...not visible from the exterior). I thought it was just like any other bite, so I expected to heal within a few days. It turns out that after a day or two, I had this huge lump I've never had before over the area of the bite.
The "mucocele" is about 5mm in diameter and about 4mm in height (about 0.5 cm in diameter & height)
75% of the time, it is painless. But there are times were the mucocele seems to fill up with more fluids to the point where its VERY firm; I almost feel as if its going to explode if I stretch my lip. When its in that stage, it becomes bothersome. It mainly affects my eating, and its always rubbing against my lower teeth. I really wouldn't call it pain, but its more like a sore when the mucocele is in that stage I just talked about (very firm & filled with alot of fluids).
Now for my concerns:
My biggest concern is the actual procedure of removing the mucocele. I'm hoping this thing goes away, but from what I hear, it rarely does. (I have only had it for 5 days). I think im going to wait a 2 to 3 weeks to see if it goes away. If it doesnt, then I have no choice but to go to the dentist for removal.
I have had dentist procedures like removing 4 of my wisdom teeth; cavity fillings, 3 crowns installed... but for whatever reason, I feel as if this procedure is by far the scariest thing I will go through.
How long is the actual procedure itself from the start of the shots for numness?
About how much does it cost to get it removed? I'm very worried about the price of this procedure. I know it will vary for everyone, but can many of you please give me an estimate of what it costed you?
And to add to that, im paranoid that my lip will look different since some tissue removal is necessary. The actual mucocele isn't visable unless I relax my lower lip and let it in the "hanging" position.
Thank you everyone for any help! This is such a wonderful sight... so much relief knowing it isnt something very dangerous.
PS. I'm only 19 years of age.
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99% Sure I Have A Mucocele... Very Concerned About Surgery.
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More information on my concern:
After reading more threads & posts in here, I am even more paranoid.
One thing I've noticed is the fact that my mucocele is smaller than what many people experience. I've heard people state theirs is half an inch or bigger! Mine is only 1/5 of an inch, or 0.5cm, or 5mm in diameter & height (what ever measurement you feel most comfortable reading). That seems to be pretty small compared to others. (What an oxymoron... I said small, yet I've never seen any lump this big in my own mouth. But I guess its small or average for a mucocele).
Oh yes, for my paranoya:
I've read that people can have the area swollen for MONTHS after operation; I've read that people might experience numness for years or permanent numness; I've read that some people have had to visit a plastic surgeon only because the doctor/dentist removed too much tissue & caused a slight deformation of the lip.
This is insane...all of this from just some slight trauma to the lip (salaviry duct).
Wow, this is becoming a stressful situation. Maybe im over exagerating...
.
After reading more threads & posts in here, I am even more paranoid.
One thing I've noticed is the fact that my mucocele is smaller than what many people experience. I've heard people state theirs is half an inch or bigger! Mine is only 1/5 of an inch, or 0.5cm, or 5mm in diameter & height (what ever measurement you feel most comfortable reading). That seems to be pretty small compared to others. (What an oxymoron... I said small, yet I've never seen any lump this big in my own mouth. But I guess its small or average for a mucocele).
Oh yes, for my paranoya:
I've read that people can have the area swollen for MONTHS after operation; I've read that people might experience numness for years or permanent numness; I've read that some people have had to visit a plastic surgeon only because the doctor/dentist removed too much tissue & caused a slight deformation of the lip.
This is insane...all of this from just some slight trauma to the lip (salaviry duct).
Wow, this is becoming a stressful situation. Maybe im over exagerating...
.
Hi, I would advise you to take a few deep breaths and relax. This does not have to be a big deal.
My mucocele was about the same size as yours. The size of yours is not unusual at all. Onto your questions:
1) After insurance, my surgery cost maybe a couple of hundred bucks. Well worth it.
2) The surgery lasted 30 minutes from the time I received a shot to numb me up to the time the doctor put the last suture or stitch in. He was operating within several minutes of giving me the shot. I felt nothing during the entire surgery. And I felt very little pain or discomfort in the days after the surgery.
3) I experienced very little swelling from day one. By three weeks after the surgery, no one looking at me would have been able to tell that there was anything wrong with my lower lip.
4) I had the same concern as you about my inner lip looking the same after the surgery. My mucocele was maybe a half inch or 3/4 inch down from the top of my lip. Anyway, my inner lip looks absolutely the same now as it did before I got the mucocele. If you were to look at my inner lip, and I pulled it down for you to have a good look, you would not even see an incision now. (And my surgery was less than three months ago.)
5) I have no swelling at all at this point. And the numbness is all gone. It was never a big deal. The last bit of slight numbness left in the last couple of weeks. The incision sight is still a bit hard at this point but that is normal. It is scar tissue. The doctor told me it would ease up and should be all gone within three to four months. I have noticed that it has gotten a lot less firm the last few weeks. And it never was a big deal from day one after the surgery as far as that goes.
6) Finally, you might want to consider having someone other than a dentist do the surgery. I am firmly in the camp of people who does not believe that a plastic surgeon, or even an oral surgeon, is needed to do an excellent result. My doctor is an ear, nose and throat doctor. He has done a great job on my ears when they have been plugged up. He was completely, completely awesome in how he handled this surgery. The main thing is just to ask the doctor how many of these surgeries he or she has done and what sorts of results he or she has gotten. And ask what sort of result you should expect. If he tells you anything much less than what I have described as my experience, I would consider seeing another doctor for an exam so that you at least have a choice.
7) Here is another suggestion for you: Call to the clinic. Ask to be transferred to the ear, nose and throat desk. When you get there, ask which doctors do the surgery for mucocele removal. Write their names down. Then ask if you can talk to the nurse for one of the doctors. Then ask the nurse some questions about which of the docs have the most experience with this sort of surgery. This plan could save you lots of time. The main thing is not to freak out over this. With a little bit of thought, and a good plan, you will be fine and wondering what all the hub-bub was six months from now.
Best wishes.
My mucocele was about the same size as yours. The size of yours is not unusual at all. Onto your questions:
1) After insurance, my surgery cost maybe a couple of hundred bucks. Well worth it.
2) The surgery lasted 30 minutes from the time I received a shot to numb me up to the time the doctor put the last suture or stitch in. He was operating within several minutes of giving me the shot. I felt nothing during the entire surgery. And I felt very little pain or discomfort in the days after the surgery.
3) I experienced very little swelling from day one. By three weeks after the surgery, no one looking at me would have been able to tell that there was anything wrong with my lower lip.
4) I had the same concern as you about my inner lip looking the same after the surgery. My mucocele was maybe a half inch or 3/4 inch down from the top of my lip. Anyway, my inner lip looks absolutely the same now as it did before I got the mucocele. If you were to look at my inner lip, and I pulled it down for you to have a good look, you would not even see an incision now. (And my surgery was less than three months ago.)
5) I have no swelling at all at this point. And the numbness is all gone. It was never a big deal. The last bit of slight numbness left in the last couple of weeks. The incision sight is still a bit hard at this point but that is normal. It is scar tissue. The doctor told me it would ease up and should be all gone within three to four months. I have noticed that it has gotten a lot less firm the last few weeks. And it never was a big deal from day one after the surgery as far as that goes.
6) Finally, you might want to consider having someone other than a dentist do the surgery. I am firmly in the camp of people who does not believe that a plastic surgeon, or even an oral surgeon, is needed to do an excellent result. My doctor is an ear, nose and throat doctor. He has done a great job on my ears when they have been plugged up. He was completely, completely awesome in how he handled this surgery. The main thing is just to ask the doctor how many of these surgeries he or she has done and what sorts of results he or she has gotten. And ask what sort of result you should expect. If he tells you anything much less than what I have described as my experience, I would consider seeing another doctor for an exam so that you at least have a choice.
7) Here is another suggestion for you: Call to the clinic. Ask to be transferred to the ear, nose and throat desk. When you get there, ask which doctors do the surgery for mucocele removal. Write their names down. Then ask if you can talk to the nurse for one of the doctors. Then ask the nurse some questions about which of the docs have the most experience with this sort of surgery. This plan could save you lots of time. The main thing is not to freak out over this. With a little bit of thought, and a good plan, you will be fine and wondering what all the hub-bub was six months from now.
Best wishes.
ydna47,
Thank you very much!
Sadly, I don't have health insurance. But your post has helped me feel much better.
Over the last day, I've noticed something strange happen to my mucocele. For the first 7 days, it looked like most of the mucocele's that are external; kinda like an external bubble with normal skin coloration (a bit pale) and very firm with obvious liquids insde.
But during the last day few days, the firmess of the mucocele definately left, and it seems as if it lost alot of the internal fluids that it usually has inside. My mucocele is know very mushy since it lost alot of fluid (a good thing, right?).
But the stangest part that wories me is the fact that it has turned from the normal mucocele color into an almost pure white color. It seems as if the top half of my mucocele is as white as milk (Pus I assume).
Is this a really bad sign? Or does this mean that it's actually going away? It's kinda worrying me now. I planned to wait this out to see if it went away. But after seeing it change color like that, I think I will have a visit to the doctor later next week.
PS. Remember guys, I got this from a hard bite to my lower lip. Im only 19 years of age. I hope this info helps.
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*UPDATE*
Most of the white pus-looking suntance has seem to been cleared away. it now looks a bit more normal, although it does look a little more opaque & obscured as compared to the "normal" coloration the fluids had before.
The "mucocele" still seems to be less filled & "loose" as compared to the firmness of the mucocele of 4 days ago.
Im really thinking about poping it with a sterilized needle; is there anything wrong with this? I know the fluids would most likely return, but it seems as if I have nothing to lose.
.
Thank you very much!
Sadly, I don't have health insurance. But your post has helped me feel much better.
Over the last day, I've noticed something strange happen to my mucocele. For the first 7 days, it looked like most of the mucocele's that are external; kinda like an external bubble with normal skin coloration (a bit pale) and very firm with obvious liquids insde.
But during the last day few days, the firmess of the mucocele definately left, and it seems as if it lost alot of the internal fluids that it usually has inside. My mucocele is know very mushy since it lost alot of fluid (a good thing, right?).
But the stangest part that wories me is the fact that it has turned from the normal mucocele color into an almost pure white color. It seems as if the top half of my mucocele is as white as milk (Pus I assume).
Is this a really bad sign? Or does this mean that it's actually going away? It's kinda worrying me now. I planned to wait this out to see if it went away. But after seeing it change color like that, I think I will have a visit to the doctor later next week.
PS. Remember guys, I got this from a hard bite to my lower lip. Im only 19 years of age. I hope this info helps.
----------------------
*UPDATE*
Most of the white pus-looking suntance has seem to been cleared away. it now looks a bit more normal, although it does look a little more opaque & obscured as compared to the "normal" coloration the fluids had before.
The "mucocele" still seems to be less filled & "loose" as compared to the firmness of the mucocele of 4 days ago.
Im really thinking about poping it with a sterilized needle; is there anything wrong with this? I know the fluids would most likely return, but it seems as if I have nothing to lose.
.
All I can say is that I did pop mine a number of times with a sterilized needle and it always came back. I knew it would. I just needed some relief until I had the surgery. Other than that, your questions about the appearance of the thing you have are probably too hard for anyone to answer other than a doctor who actually gets to see the thing. Good luck.
I haven't been to this forum for awhile. I had a small mucucele that seemed somewhat superficial. I popped it several times and it kept coming back. But I was peristent and I popped it and it never came back (after two weeks of popping every 3 days). This may just be an odd case and I'm not a medical expert so I can't recommend this.
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