Classification of Dental Abscess
- Periapical abscess: Chronic, localised infection at the root tip of a tooth.
- Periodontal abscess: Begins in a periodontal pocket.
- Gingival abscess: Affects only the gum tissue.
- Pericoronal abscess: Involves the soft tissues around the tooth crown.
- Combined periodontic-endodontic abscess: Combination of periapical and periodontal abscess.
Signs and Symptoms of Dental Abscess
- Continuous, extreme, and growing pain.
- Sensitivity to touch and possible swelling.
- Swelling at the base of the tooth, gum, or cheek.
- Abscess may be painless but with gum swelling.
- Possible lymph gland swelling and tender neck.
Complications of Dental Abscess
- Severe abscess may perforate bone and extend into soft tissue.
- External drainage through boil or intraoral fistula.
- Internal drainage leads to tissue space infection.
- Severe complications include Ludwigs angina and mediastinal infection.
- Risk of sepsis, endocarditis, brain abscess, or meningitis.
Diagnostic Methods for Dental Abscess
- Differentiating between periodontal and periapical abscess.
- Location of swelling determines the type of abscess.
- Periodontal abscess discharges via periodontal pocket.
- Periapical abscess drains via a parulis near the tooth apex.
- Tooth condition and history of toothache help in diagnosis.
Treatment of Dental Abscess
- Reduction and elimination of offending organisms.
- Treatment with antibiotics and drainage.
- Improvement in antibiotic prescribing practices.
- Root canal treatment or extraction if necessary.
- Follow-up care and preventive measures.
This article needs more reliable medical references for verification or relies too heavily on primary sources. (January 2018) |  |
A dental abscess is a localised collection of pus associated with a tooth. The most common type of dental abscess is a periapical abscess, and the second most common is a periodontal abscess. In a periapical abscess, usually the origin is a bacterial infection that has accumulated in the soft, often dead, pulp of the tooth. This can be caused by tooth decay, broken teeth or extensive periodontal disease (or combinations of these factors). A failed root canal treatment may also create a similar abscess.
| Dental abscess | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Dentoalveolar abscess, tooth abscess, root abscess |
 | |
| A decayed, broken down tooth, which has undergone pulpal necrosis. A periapical abscess (i.e. around the apex of the tooth root) has then formed and pus is draining into the mouth via an intraoral sinus (gumboil). | |
| Specialty | Dentistry |
A dental abscess is a type of odontogenic infection, although commonly the latter term is applied to an infection which has spread outside the local region around the causative tooth.
