Dental Abscess Drainage - Long Island City, NY
Mouth swelling will need to be drained
A dental abscess drainage is when an infection in your tooth, gums, or mouth results in fluctuant swelling. When the swelling gets to an appreciable size, antibiotics will not get rid of it. It will need to be treated with an incision and drainage (I and D) by an emergency dentist.
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What we offer
Here at Jackson Ave Dental, our emergency dentists can drain that dental abscess in your mouth. Whether the infection originates from the tooth or the gums, we will get rid of it and you'll get some much needed tooth pain relief.
Therefore, if you've a some type of infected oral swelling you should consider a dental abscess drainage in Long Island City with our dental team.
Incision and Drainage
If you're still swollen after taking antibiotics, it means it is not working. The next step would be to get the dental abscess drained by our dentist specializing in emergency dentistry.
Antibiotics
Even with the infection drained, you will still get prescribed antibiotics afterwards. This is to ensure complete elimination of the abscess and prevent it from returning.
When is a tooth abscess drainage needed?
Only the most severe infections will need to be drained. If you manage to catch them early on, a course of antibiotics may resolve it.
Conditions requiring an I and D:
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Gum abscess
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Tooth abscess
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Oral swelling
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Antibiotics not working
Benefits of draining the infection
How we can help
Getting an abscess drained with our long island city dentists at Jackson Ave Dental can be done in one visit.
Although you will need to return for a follow up appointment in 2-3 days to diagnose the origin of the abscess. You will need further treatment since drainage is meant to be palliative.
What to expect for procedure: 30-45 minutes
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Administer numbing gel followed by local anesthesia (lidocaine).
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Make an incision with a scalpel until it reaches the jaw bone.
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Drain the dental abscess with a hemostat.
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Break up all loculations.
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Apply digital pressure with fingers and to squeeze out residual pus.
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Irrigate the entire surgical site.
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Leave the wound open to allow it to continue draining.
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Alternatively, a penrose drain may be stitched into the wound to keep it open.
Follow Up Visit: 15 minutes
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Examine the surgical site to make sure it is healing properly.
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Remove stitches and drain if it was placed.
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Our dentist will attempt to diagnose where the infection stemmed from. Depending on what they find, you will need further treatment.
The Next Step
We wish to remind you that getting the infection drained is only palliative treatment. That means it temporarily gets you out of pain and to reduce the swelling. However, the source of the abscess still needs to be treated.
Our dental team at Jackson Ave Dental provides two additional services to permanently get rid of infections, extractions and root canal therapy.
Tooth Extraction
Teeth can be so infected that they need to be removed from the jaw bone to get rid of it. Sometimes there's just no alternative to it.
Root Canal
If the tooth is in good shape, a root canal can save your tooth and preserve it in your mouth instead of an extraction. The infected nerve will get removed.
Cost of draining a tooth abscess
The cost of a dental abscess drainage would depend on your insurance coverage. On average, most PPO dental insurances will cover the procedure at 80% which means you'll have a 20% copay.
We won't know the precise cost unless until we verify your insurance coverage. The good news is that our dentists and dental office is in network with most of the major insurance companies.
FAQs
Can I drain the infection at home?
It is impossible to drain a dental abscess at home on your own. The process of draining it requires our dentist to make an incision down to the jaw bone. That means the scalpel has to reach solid bone to get to the infection. You are unable to thoroughly eliminate the infection by just squeezing it with your fingers at home. In other words, you need to seek a dental professional for help.
How long does it take to drain?
After the I and D, the swelling should subside significantly within 24 hours. The infection will continue to drain on its own through the left open wound over the next 48-72 hours. All of the swelling should dissipate after 3-4 days but you still need to finish taking your antibiotic prescription. The swelling can return if you're non-compliant!
Ready to make an appointment?
Have an infection with swelling in the mouth or face? Perhaps an incision and drainage in Long Island City is what you need. Our team of palliative dentists at 1311 Jackson Ave Dental will help alleviate your toothache and get rid of that swelling. You may self schedule online or give us a call and our receptionist will help you.