Extracting Abscessed Tooth
A dental abscess is a pus-filled sac that develops near the root of a tooth or at the base of the root and can be very painful. An abscess forms when bacteria and infection enter the tooth through decay or a fracture and cannot heal on its own. At the first sign of abscess, it is important to visit your dentist before the infection can progress and cause further issues.
Early signs that you might be developing an abscess include a pimple looking bump on your gum tissue with redness and swelling. As it grows, you may experience pain when eating, sensitivity to hot and cold, difficulty opening your mouth, and even swelling in the jaw, headaches, earaches and swollen lymph nodes.
If an abscess ruptures, you may feel an immediate rush of relief but that does not mean you are out of the woods. The sac of the abscess will refill and continue to grow so it is very important to seek medical attention as quickly as possible. You may just need a simple round of antibiotics but if you do not have it treated right away, you risk losing the tooth or even the infection entering your bloodstream.
Other treatments that your dentist will try before extracting your tooth include: draining the abscess by making a small incision and irrigating the area; root canal therapy in an effort to save the tooth by removing the infected pulp within the tooth. If none of these work or if the infection is too severe, your dentist may advise extraction.
Extraction for Tooth Abscess
Extraction is going to be the last resort treatment because it is important to keep your natural teeth as long as possible. Sometimes, extraction is the only option to prevent further damage. In addition to severe pain, other complications that can arise from an abscess include bone loss, infection in the surrounding tissue, and infection entering the bloodstream.
After Extraction
Once the affected tooth is removed, your body will instinctively work to fight the infection, eliminating the pus sac over the course of a few days or, depending on the severity of infection, a few weeks. It is important to care for the extraction site to prevent further infection. Your oral surgeon will provide aftercare directions to make sure your extraction site heals properly, keeping the area clean and free of food particles. It is likely that you will also be prescribed antibiotics to help prevent infection.
Your dentist may recommend a dental implant after the procedure to replace the missing tooth.
Possible Complications After Extraction
After the infected tooth is removed, the abscess will typically heal just fine but as with any surgery, there is a risk of complication. Some complications that you might experience include:
- Infection: Risk of reinfection is always a possibility though it is rare.
- Dry socket: This is a risk with any extraction, whether or not an abscess was present. When the blood clot in the extraction site becomes dislodged, the underlying bone becomes exposed and can cause intense pain and delay the healing process.
- Nerve damage: If the tooth being removed is close to nerves in the jaw, the nerves can become damaged, resulting in numbness or tingling in the face and mouth.
As soon as you notice symptoms of a tooth abscess, you need to seek medical attention. An abscess is typically considered an emergency so your dentist will want to see you as soon as possible!