How long does it take...?

How long does it take for a tooth extraction to heal? I had my tooth pulled
out (lower number 5) a month ago, the hole still hasn't closed, and it still
hurts. It even seems as though this last week it has been hurting me more
than before! Otherwise, there are no signs of inflammation, it doesn't seem
to be swollen - the extraction site (hole) looks clean, no *** or anything
like that, but it really hurts - dull, long-lasting pain, sometimes very
faintly, but at its worst it feels as if my whole jaw on that side is
hurting. The other day it started hurting after I just took a sip of juice.
I have heard of "dry socket" but I don't think I have that because I would
have noticed that earlier (by the intense pain, I suppose), wouldn't I?
I had some trouble with the tooth for a long time before I finally got it
pulled out - a recurring (actually constant) gum boil, apicotomy, a big
paradontal pocket, curettage, until my dentist finally took it out and saw
that it was cracked (the part under the gumline). So, I'm being told that
it's no wonder it's taking me some more time to heal - but still, I'm kinda
anxious about it. (After the tooth has come out, the gum boil has finally
disappeared.)

(BTW, I don't know whether this is important but the tooth next to it is
missing too, it was extracted together with a cyst underneath it a couple of
years ago) - I guess the whole jaw is disfigured by now... - my oral surgeon
made a panoramic x-ray of my teeth/jaw last in late March/April this year
after the apicotomy, so before the extraction, and everything else seemed to
be just fine.

Thanks in advance for any replies, suggestions, encouragements...


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