What Is a Dental Abscess?
A dental abscess is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection, typically originating from the tooth’s nerve (periapical abscess) or the surrounding gum tissue (periodontal abscess). Abscesses are serious and can cause intense, throbbing pain, swelling of the face or gums, fever, a foul taste in the mouth, and general malaise. Without treatment, the infection can spread to surrounding tissues, the jawbone, and in rare but serious cases, to other areas of the body.
Dental Abscess Treatment: Quick Facts
Quick fact | Typical answer |
|---|---|
Number of visits | 1 urgent visit, then definitive care |
Time needed | 30 to 60 minutes |
Anesthesia | Local anesthesia |
How soon | Same day |
Relief | Usually within 24 to 48 hours of drainage |
These are typical ranges. Your own plan is confirmed after an examination.
Signs of a Dental Abscess
An abscess is a collection of pus caused by bacterial infection. It will not clear without treatment, and it can spread to the jaw, face and neck.
Severe, throbbing toothache
Swelling of the gum, face or jaw
A pimple on the gum that may drain
Fever, swollen glands or feeling unwell
A bad taste or smell
Pain when biting or touching the tooth
Dental Abscess Treatment at Bensonhurst Dental Care
At Bensonhurst Dental Care, abscess treatment begins with an immediate evaluation to determine the source and extent of the infection. The priority is to drain the abscess, relieve pain, and control the infection. Drainage may be achieved by opening the tooth to allow the infection to escape, incising and draining a soft tissue abscess, or a combination of both. Antibiotics are prescribed when appropriate to support the body in clearing the infection.
What to Expect, Step by Step
Urgent appointment. You are seen the same day.
Examination and X-ray. The source is identified.
Numbing. Anesthesia is given; a longer-acting anesthetic may be used for a very inflamed tooth.
Drainage. The abscess is drained through the tooth or the gum.
Medication. Antibiotics are prescribed if the infection is spreading.
Definitive treatment. Root canal therapy, gum treatment or extraction removes the cause.
Types of dental abscess
Type | Where it starts | Usual treatment |
|---|---|---|
Periapical abscess | At the root tip, from a dead or infected nerve | Root canal therapy or extraction |
Periodontal abscess | In a deep gum pocket | Drainage and deep cleaning |
Pericoronal abscess | In the gum over a partly erupted tooth | Cleaning, and often extraction |
Antibiotics alone do not cure a dental abscess. They hold the infection back until the source is treated.
What to Do Now and After Treatment
Looking after yourself
Before you reach us
Call us straight away
Rinse with warm salt water and take pain relief
Do not apply heat to your face or try to burst the swelling
After your emergency visit
Take the full course of any antibiotic
Rinse with warm salt water
Return to complete the root canal, gum treatment or extraction
When to Call Us
Call the office on (718) 234-3434 if you notice any of the following:
Swelling spreads toward your eye or neck
You have a fever or feel very unwell
You have difficulty swallowing, breathing or opening your mouth; go to an emergency room
Treating the Cause
Once the acute infection is managed, definitive treatment addresses the underlying cause. A periapical abscess originating from inside the tooth typically requires root canal therapy to remove the infected pulp and seal the canal system. A periodontal abscess may require scaling and root planing or other periodontal treatment to address the gum disease driving the infection. In cases where the tooth is too compromised to save, an emergency extraction removes the source of infection entirely.
Cost and Insurance
Treating an abscess is priced in stages: the urgent visit to examine, X-ray and drain the infection, then the treatment that removes its source, usually a root canal or an extraction. Antibiotics, if prescribed, are filled at your pharmacy. Plans often cover the emergency visit and the treatment that follows in part, according to how each procedure is classed under your plan.
What affects the cost
The examination and X-rays needed to find the cause
The treatment given at the emergency visit
The definitive treatment that follows, such as a root canal, crown or extraction
Medication, if prescribed
Most dental plans contribute to emergency examinations and to the treatment that follows. Our team can check your benefits and explain your options before treatment begins.
