Incision and Drainage - New York, NY

Alleviate Dental Abscess Swelling and Pain

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Prevent Serious Repercussions with Incision and Drainage

Cavities, dental trauma and poor oral hygiene are the most frequent underlying causes of dental infections which can lead to an abscessed tooth. A dental abscess is a swollen pocket of soft tissue filled with pus (the thick pale yellow or green substance that frequently accompanies an infection). Prompt treatment of abscesses is essential because the infection can travel through your bloodstream, potentially infecting additional teeth, gums and bones, spreading to the deep neck space or intracranial sinuses, and causing life-threatening septic shock.

The goal of incision and drainage is to evacuate inflammatory matter from the soft tissue swelling, alleviate pain, enhance healing and prevent more serious repercussions.

The goal of incision and drainage is to evacuate inflammatory matter from the soft tissue swelling, alleviate pain, enhance healing and prevent more serious repercussions. During surgical incision and drainage in New York, NY, our endodontists remove a small portion of infected gum tissue via incision to drain pus from your abscess.

Abscess Symptoms

Fever
Gum boil (swollen bump)
Severe, persistent and throbbing toothache
Pain that radiates to your jawbone, neck or ear
Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures
Sensitivity to chewing or biting
Swelling in your face, neck or cheek
Tender, swollen lymph nodes under your jaw or in your neck
Difficulty breathing or swallowing
Sudden foul-smelling and foul-tasting fluid in your mouth

Types of Dental Abscesses

Periodontal and gingival

This type of abscess affects the periodontium, which is the complex structure composed of the gingiva (gum tissue), periodontal ligament, cementum and alveolar bone (bone that supports your teeth). This type of infection usually starts in the alveolar bone. Infection limited to the gum tissue is called a gingival abscess.

Periapical

Although this type of abscess is more common in children, it can occur at any age, especially in people with poor oral hygiene habits. The abscess affects the inside of a tooth, usually around the tooth root end (apex).

Pericoronitis

This rare type of abscess is most common in lower third molars (wisdom teeth) that haven’t fully erupted. A partially erupted wisdom tooth can leave a flap of gum tissue that collects food particles and other debris, resulting in an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

How We Perform Soothing Incision and Drainage

During an incision and drainage in New York, NY, we numb the area around your abscess with a local anesthetic. To ensure your comfort and alleviate any dental anxiety, we also offer sedation options. We then carefully incise your gums and/or drill into your infected tooth with specialized tools. Once we access the abscess, we remove infected matter and drain the pus. Next, we irrigate the area with a sterile saline solution to remove any residual bacteria or debris. After we have determined all the infected matter and pus has been removed, we close the incision with a few sutures or fill the infected tooth. In some cases, we’ll place a small rubber drain in the abscess site to drain any pus that continues to produce. The drain is typically removed within three days, after which we apply sutures or fill the impacted tooth.

Postsurgical Symptoms that Require Emergency Care

After an incision and drainage, it’s important to follow explicit aftercare instructions to ensure the treated area remains infection-free. We usually suggest gargling with salt water several times a day. While you can brush and floss as normal, it’s important to avoid irritating your incisions.

Call us immediately if you develop any of these symptoms after the procedure:

Increased redness or swelling
Red streaks in the skin leading away from the wound
Increased local pain
Pus that continues to drain from the wound two days after treatment
Temperature that rises above 101°F (38.3°C)
Boil returns when you’re home

Restore your mouth to full dental health!

Schedule a visit for incision and drainage in New York, NY with Advanced Endodontics of New York.

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