How a Family Dentist Treats an Abscessed Tooth

Family Dentist Fontana, CA

A family dentist is a professional who offers various general dentistry procedures to patients of all ages. Those who practice family dentistry can treat many serious dental concerns, including an abscessed tooth. In addition to being painful, an abscess can lead to further health concerns. Patients experiencing this issue should seek treatment right away.

Treatment options for an abscessed tooth

An abscess occurs when pus forms a pocket around an infected tooth root. While teeth have hard enamel and dentin on their outer layers, they house connective tissue, nerves, and blood vessels. The tissue, known as the pulp, can become infected because of a deep cavity, cracked tooth, or gum disease. When a tooth becomes infected, it can kill the pulp and cause an abscess to develop.

A family dentist can diagnose and treat tooth abscesses in patients of any age.

Signs of an abscessed tooth

Abscessed teeth cannot heal themselves. One of the first signs of infection is pain. Patients may present with throbbing and gnawing pain or sharp and shooting pain. Some people may experience severe pain when biting down, while others may have continuous pain. Generally, a tooth infection causes temperature sensitivity that lingers long after removing the culprit.

Other symptoms individuals may face include:

  • Pain radiating through the neck, face, jawbone, and ear
  • Swelling of the jaw
  • Open sores on the gum
  • A bitter taste or foul-smelling breath from the abscess
  • Gum swelling and redness
  • Loose teeth

A stop to the pain does not indicate a healing infection. Sometimes, toothaches stop because the pulp in the tooth dies, killing the nerves. Even if a patient cannot feel the infection, it can continue spreading, destroying other tissues.

Treatments for an abscessed tooth

To diagnose an abscessed tooth, the family dentist will take an X-ray to determine the cause of the infection and the damage caused by the abscess. When it comes to treatment, dentists have various options available.

One option involves draining the abscess. The professional makes a small incision to release the pus. The dentist may place a small rubber drain to keep the area open if necessary.

One of the most common treatments for patients with an abscess is a root canal. The professional remove the inner pulp during this procedure and fills the space with material to seal it against further infection. Following the process, a patient should be able to return to normal. Some dentists will fit the patient with a crown to protect the root canal.

If dentists cannot save abscessed teeth, they may extract them instead. Sometimes, an extraction provides dentists with a way to drain the abscess. Many patients also take antibiotics to treat the infection, especially if it has spread to other areas of the mouth.

Conclusion

A family dentist can diagnose and treat a dental abscess for patients of all ages. When diagnosed with an abscess, most patients need either a root canal or tooth extraction.

Request an appointment here: https://gurzfamilydental.com or call Gurz Family Dental at 9097408288 for an appointment in our Fontana office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Family Dentist in Fontana, CA.

 

Recent Posts

What Does A Family Dentist Do?

When it comes to helping your child take care of their dental needs, a family dentist can offer a lot of guidance. Children have different dental needs than adults. Therefore, it is a wise idea to take them to a dentist who has the training and knowledge necessary to understand children’s dental needs. Read on…

Visit Your Family Dentist To Treat A Broken Tooth

Are you looking for a new family dentist? Our family dentistry office is prepared for all your dental needs. The enamel is the strongest tissue in the whole body, but even this level of strength has its limits. Chipped teeth can happen when trauma occurs or even from a gradual grinding of the teeth due…

Do I Need A Family Dentist?

General dentists and family dentists are quite similar and often get confused for each other. The main difference between the two practices is that in general, dentists specialize in specific areas, like orthodontics and cosmetic dentistry, which limits them to certain age groups. Family dentists specialize in broader areas, allowing them to treat more patients.If…

A Kid Friendly Dentist Discusses Stainless Steel Crowns

Many kid-friendly dentist use stainless steel crowns to treat severe dental decay, chips and cracks in children's teeth. It is helpful for parents to have a better understanding of what stainless steel crowns do and why a kid-friendly dentist might recommend them for children over other types of pediatric dental treatments. Stainless steel crowns offer unique…

Recent Posts

When A Dentist Would Recommend Mouth Guards

When A Dentist Would Recommend Mouth Guards

While mouth guards are something that you can purchase for yourself for use in sports or other activities, higher quality or customized options are occasionally recommended by your dentist for use in preventative care against tooth damage. There are a few different types of mouth guards that a dentist may suggest you use if you…

Teeth Whitening And Your Smile Makeover

Teeth Whitening And Your Smile Makeover

Thinking that you should get a smile makeover so you can feel great about the way you look when you smile? New dental technologies allow for many makeover options nowadays, which means you get to pick and choose how you want your smile to look. You can even have your smile made over in one…