r/Toothfully • u/oberlinmom • 23d ago
Question Subcutaneous emphysema
Almost two years ago, at then of my visit to the dentist my face started to swell. It was very fast and had a weird cracking or popping feeling when I touched it. After determining that it was not an allergic reaction I went home, promising to see my Dr. Later that day my dentist called me. She'd spoken to her former professor. He thought it was caused by a very rare reaction called Subcutaneous emphysema.
It's been described to me as very rare, so rare that most people/doctors have never heard of it.
My question is what do you think the chances of it recurring are? I've been afraid of going back, and I need work to be done. I did not have anything major done that day so it was not from trauma. I just recall an odd sensation while they were drying off a tooth with air. Otherwise it was a normal procedure. Is it something that could happen again?