Treatment of an abscessed tooth
An abscessed tooth is an infection within a tooth that has spread to the tip of the tooth root, usually caused by a dead or dying tooth. There is a spread of bacteria from the root of the tooth to the tissue and bone, just below or near the tooth. An abscessed tooth can be an extremely painful condition. In order to treat a dental abscess, the infected pulp tissue must be removed. That may be acheived by root canal therapy or extracting the tooth. In some cases, antibiotics are administered to aid in killing the infection.