question: This is confusing.  I've needed an extraction or a root canal for close to a year.  This past weekend the tooth really started to hurt.  I went to a new dentist on Sunday because they were open (I really needed immediate help with the pain).  He gave me an option to have it pulled or he could do the root canal.  Well we both decided for the root canal.  He gave me Metronidale 500 antibiotic.  The rest of the day and the next day I was in even worse pain, and my right side of my face started to swell up.  Tuesday morning my face had really gotten swollen, so I decided to go back to him.  He told me that he was hoping to be able to save the tooth, but he then mentioned something about an abscess and that the tooth was infected and he showed me an x-ray with the infection.  He removed the tooth and made an incision to help drain fluid.  He now has me on 2 antibiotics (Amoxycillin 500, and Metronidale 500).  My question is: Today the swelling is 70% better, but I feel a hard lump on my cheek that is very sensitive to touch.  Is this normal, my concern is that the infection has reached the jaw bone.  I realize I waited too long to get my tooth worked on, but I'm hoping that it's not going to be too serious.  Thanks in advance for any information you can give me.  Tom