“Should an abscessed tooth be pulled?”

Dear person,

Depending on circumstances, an abscess in a tooth can be treated in a number of ways. One way is to extract the tooth. Another way is to treat the tooth with antibiotics and perform endodontic treatment. Some teeth may be saved and have many more years of service if treated endodontically. Sometimes a crown is required after endodontic treatment, and other restorations are possible. Make an appointment and see a dentist as soon as possible. Tell the person answering the phone that you have an abscess and it is an emergency. The dentist will assess the health of the tooth, the other teeth in your mouth, your general health, and what would be the best way to treat the tooth. Do not wait to see a dentist. Make an appointment and see a dentist immediately. An abscessed tooth is a dental emergency and could become a medical emergency if not treated.

Regards,

Dentist

It is impossible to say without a dental examination. There are many factors that need to be considered that can only be determined by visiting a dentist. In general, the significance of the tooth in the patient's dentition has to be considered first. The second priority is what modality of operations can adequately control and eliminate the infection. If the tooth is important in function and can be restored to health, say with a root canal procedure and a crown, then usually this is recommended.

The abscess indicates that there is a problem with your tooth. However, before a diagnosis can be made and a treatment plan developed. The two most likely problems would be an infected pulp (an endodontic problem) of a gum infection (a periodontal infection). An examination and an X-ray will determine what kind of problem you are dealing with. If it caused by an infection within the tooth, root canal therapy is indicated. If it is gum related, periodontal therapy is indicated. The tooth can saved by therapy or extracted. All your options should be discussed with a dentist.

Not always, sometimes other things can be done to save the tooth.
Thanks.

Pulled or root canaled.

An abscessed tooth should be checked to see how much of the tooth is still intact, and if the tooth can be made healthy and comfortable again. If it can be made back like new, you will have 3 choices:
a. Keep the tooth, which may require cleaning out the infection, sealing up the roots To keep infection out, and possibly a crown to strengthen the tooth. (I had this done to one of my teeth, 45 yrs ago. Still doing fine!)
b. Have the tooth removed. This can cause shifting and tilting of the nearby teeth over time. This is usually done only if the abscessed tooth is not restorable, or the cost of repairing the tooth is just too high for you to pay. Don’t do it if you can help it.
c. Do nothing..just let it hurt (not a great choice, and can be dangerous!)

An abscessed tooth requires either extraction or a root canal if enough tooth is left to save

Not necessarily. Depending on the evaluation by a dentist, it can be saved.