OK, you're right, no possible way tissue can heal over and
create a pocket, trapping air/gas in the jaw. All pilots
should plan on taking their wife and kids [husband or
significant other too] on their first flight as soon as they
feel good a week after the surgery. No need to a "test
flight" to check for any pain in flight.

The bends is gas in solution coming out of the tissue/blood
faster than it can be exhaled. Of course, bacteria in a
closed pocket might be producing gas at a rate that is
absorbed and exhaled , but that evolved gas would expand
with altitude. But you're right, no possible reason to make
a comparison.



--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"RomeoMike" wrote in message
...
| An abscess is one thing, trapped air another. You were
referring to the
| latter in your first post. Any trapped air from an
extraction is going
| to be long gone by the time one is fit to fly after
multiple extractions
| requiring the use of post op pain meds and a recuperation
period.
| Situation not similar to the bends at all. No gas is
coming out of solution.
|
| Jim Macklin wrote:
| No, that is one possible reason with a filling, but
surgery
| and extractions can heal over leaving an abscess and
that
| could be a very painful problem. When my wisdom teeth
were
| removed, the roots actually penetrated the sinus
cavities.
| For several weeks I could have salt water run through
from
| my mouth to my nose by dipping my head. This was not a
| problem flying, it was even more venting. But I would
want
| to have a flight test before I was the only pilot on the
| plane.
|
| Gas would be reabsorbed if enough time passed, but if
there
| was any gas it would expand during a climb faster than
it
| would be absorbed, think the bends.
|
|