If you are suffering from a tooth abscess, your dentist may be able to heal it, you may lose your tooth, or you may require root canal therapy to save your tooth. What is a tooth abscess? It is a gathering of pus caused by a bacterial infection, and contained by inflamed tissue. An abscess can be not only very painful, but left untreated it can lead to serious, sometimes even life-threatening, complications. It is possible to get an abscess at any part of your tooth, but periapical abscesses occur at the very bottom of the root, whereas periodontal abscesses occur in the gingival tissue beside the root.

Why An Abscess?

Tooth abscesses occur due to infection. Periapical abscesses particularly occur due to untreated decay, prior dental work, or injury. Generally, abscesses are treated by draining them and treating the infection with antibiotics. However, if the infection does not respond to treatment the tooth will need to be extracted to prevent the infection from spreading to other teeth, and throughout your body.

Root Canal Therapy

In order to save your tooth, you may need root canal therapy. This consists of removing the infected pulp tissue that is housed in the very middle of your tooth. The pulp consists of live tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. The outer tooth structure can still function once the pulp is removed. The inner chamber is then cleaned and sterilized and the pulp is replaced with a rubber like material called gutta percha. Your tooth is then sealed with a filling, and if required, crowned for further strength and protection. While root canals used to get a bad rap because the general public believe that they are painful, today root canal therapy is usually not any more uncomfortable than a dental filling.

Is Your Toothache Caused By An Abscess?

If you’re suffering with a toothache, find out if it is being caused by an abscess. Contact Dr. Huffstutler, your Fort Worth dentist, ASAP by calling 817-918-3038. Together you will decide whether or not you need root canal therapy.