What is a Periapical Abscess?

One of our specialties at Bayberry Dental Care in Tinley Park is root canal therapy. This procedure is a means of saving a tooth that has become infected, preventing the patient from requiring an extraction and implant. But if an infection is allowed to go on for too long, the patient will be at risk for one of the most dangerous conditions in dentistry: a periapical abscess.

An abscess is an accumulation of pus, which is a mixture of dead tissue, bacteria, and white blood cells. A periodontal abscess is one that develops in the gum pocket, whereas a periapical abscess forms at the tip of a tooth root where the tooth’s blood vessels exit. Abscesses cause a throbbing pain, swelling, and a foul taste and odor, and are often accompanied by fever. They constitute an emergency and do not go away on their own.

We can safely drain an abscess. We will then carry out a root canal procedure, removing the infected dental pulp and filling in the tooth with a sealant. We will also take x-rays to determine whether the infection has spread. If it has, antibiotics will be necessary. A periapical abscess could develop into sepsis, so don’t wait to come into our office if you are worried you might have a dental pulp infection.

Kathleen M. Falsey, D.D.S., operates Bayberry Dental Care at 8014 West 171^st St, Tinley Park, Illinois, 60477. To schedule an appointment, call 708-802-8300 or visit Bayberry Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.