Tooth Infection and Dental Abscess Treatment
Tooth Infection Treatment provided by Our Expert Dentists
in Bells, Jackson, Milan & Lexington, TN at Premier Dental Center
 If you have throbbing tooth pain, facial swelling, or a bad taste that won’t go away in or near Bells, Jackson, Milan, or Lexington, TN, Premier Dental Center can diagnose and treat the tooth infection.
A tooth infection, often called a dental abscess, is a pocket of pus caused by bacteria reaching the inner part of a tooth or the gum around it. It rarely clears up on its own, and it can spread, so it should be seen promptly.
An abscess usually starts with deep decay, a crack, or gum disease that lets bacteria into the pulp at the center of the tooth. The body walls off the infection, which is what creates the pressure and pain. Treating it means draining the infection and dealing with its source, not just quieting the pain for a few days.
A tooth infection is one of the more urgent reasons to call us, and our Jackson office’s extended hours help us see painful cases quickly.
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Signs You May Have a Tooth Infection
 A tooth infection often announces itself with pain, but the warning signs vary. Some abscesses build slowly; others flare up fast. The symptoms we hear about most often include:
- Throbbing pain – A persistent, pulsing ache in a tooth or the jaw, sometimes spreading to the ear or neck.
- Swelling – A swollen face, cheek, or gum, sometimes with a visible pimple-like bump near the tooth.
- Sensitivity – Lingering pain when you bite down or when the tooth meets hot or cold.
- Foul taste or odor – A sudden bad taste can mean an abscess has begun to drain.
- Fever or feeling unwell – A sign the infection may be affecting more than just the tooth.
Pain that suddenly stops doesn’t mean the problem is gone. It sometimes means the nerve inside the tooth has died, while the infection continues spreading silently. That’s why an abscess needs professional attention even if the pain eases on its own.
When a Tooth Infection Becomes an Emergency
Certain symptoms mean you should be seen right away rather than waiting. Swelling that spreads to your eye or neck, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or a high fever are signs the infection may be moving beyond the tooth. In those situations, call us immediately, and if you can’t reach us and symptoms are severe, go to the nearest emergency room. A dental abscess is part of the emergency dentistry care we provide, and we make room for urgent cases.
Your Tooth Infection Care Team
Our doctors at Premier Dental Center have treated tooth infections for West Tennessee patients since 1979. Diagnosing an abscess accurately matters, because the source isn’t always obvious, and our 3D imaging lets us see infection at the root tip and bone that a standard photo would miss.
Across the practice, our training covers the full range of infection treatment, from root canal therapy that saves a tooth to extraction when a tooth is too far gone. For patients who feel anxious about treatment, our doctors’ sedation credentials include IV sedation training completed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and oral conscious sedation, so we can keep you comfortable through whatever your tooth needs. More about our doctors on our About Us page.
How We Treat a Tooth Infection
 Treating an abscess has two parts: relieving the immediate infection and addressing whatever let bacteria in. Here is how a visit typically goes.
Step 1: Exam and 3D Imaging
We examine the tooth and surrounding tissue and take an X-ray or 3D image to find the source and extent of the infection. This shows us whether the infection sits at the root tip, deep in the gum, or in the bone, which determines the right treatment.
Step 2: Relieving the Infection
We drain the abscess to release the pressure that’s causing your pain, which often brings significant relief on the same visit. If the infection is widespread, we may prescribe an antibiotic to help bring it under control. An antibiotic alone won’t cure an abscess, though, because it doesn’t remove the source inside the tooth, so it’s a step toward treatment rather than a substitute for it.
Step 3: Treating the Source
To actually resolve the infection, we treat what caused it. In many cases that means a root canal, which removes the infected pulp and saves the tooth. When a tooth is cracked too deeply or damaged beyond saving, removal is the better path, and we’ll talk through replacement options so you have a plan.
Step 4: Comfort Throughout
We numb the area thoroughly before any treatment, and our sedation dentistry options are available if you feel anxious. Our goal is to take you from acute pain to comfortable and on the mend as smoothly as possible.
Benefits of Treating a Tooth Infection Promptly
A dental abscess is one of those problems that only gets worse, and more expensive, the longer it waits. Treating it early protects your health and usually saves the tooth.
When an infection is caught early, a root canal can often save the natural tooth, which is almost always better than losing it. Waiting allows the infection to destroy more of the tooth and surrounding bone, and in serious cases it can spread to other parts of the body.
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Relieves the Pain Fast – Draining the infection releases the pressure behind that throbbing ache, and our Jackson office’s extended Monday and Tuesday hours mean we can often do it the same day you call.
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Saves the Natural Tooth – Treating an abscess early often means a root canal can save the tooth, which our 3D imaging helps us confirm before we start.
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Stops the Spread – Prompt treatment keeps the infection from moving into the jaw, bone, or beyond, which is why we make room for these cases at our four offices.
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Protects Your Overall Health – An untreated infection can affect more than your mouth, and because we handle both root canals and extractions in-house across our four offices, we can resolve it without sending you elsewhere. |
The bottom line: a tooth infection is a problem to address now, not later. The sooner it’s treated, the more likely we can save the tooth and the lower the risk to the rest of your health.
Why Choose Our Team for Tooth Infection Treatment
Premier Dental Center has cared for West Tennessee since 1979, and our four offices in Bells, Jackson, Milan, and Lexington mean help with a painful infection is close to home rather than a long drive away.
When you’re in pain, getting seen quickly matters, and our Jackson office’s 7am to 7pm Monday and Tuesday hours give us extended-hours room for urgent infection visits. We treat abscesses as the priority they are.
We also diagnose carefully. Our 3D imaging lets us pinpoint where an infection actually sits, so we treat the real source instead of guessing, and we can handle the full range of treatment in-house, whether that’s a root canal to save the tooth or an extraction when it can’t be saved. That means you’re not bounced between offices in the middle of a painful problem.
We’ll always be honest about your tooth. If it can be saved, we’ll tell you how. If it can’t, we’ll explain why and walk you through what comes next.
Tooth Infection Treatment Cost and Financing
Cost is a fair thing to ask about, and we’ll be straight with you. What you pay depends on what the infection requires, since draining an abscess, completing a root canal and crown, or removing a tooth are very different treatments. We give you a clear estimate once the exam and imaging show us what’s going on.
Most dental insurance plans cover a portion of infection treatment, especially when a tooth is actively causing problems. Our front office team verifies your benefits and explains your estimated out-of-pocket cost before treatment begins. We list the plans we accept and the financing we offer through Cherry, Sunbit, and CareCredit with our insurance and financing options.
Please don’t let cost keep you from being seen when you’re in pain. Tell us, and we’ll work with you to handle the urgent problem first, and our membership plan can help patients without dental insurance manage the cost.
Get Relief from Your Tooth Infection Today
A tooth infection won’t wait, and neither should you. Call Premier Dental Center at 731-300-3000 or request an appointment online. We serve patients across Bells, Jackson, Milan, and Lexington, TN. See all four office locations for hours and directions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a tooth infection go away on its own?
No. A dental abscess is caused by bacteria that have reached inside the tooth or the surrounding tissue, and that source has to be treated. The pain may come and go, and it can even stop entirely if the nerve dies, but the infection itself continues and can spread. Treating it promptly is the only reliable way to resolve it and protect the tooth and your health.
Can antibiotics cure a tooth infection?
Antibiotics can help control an infection that has spread, but they don’t cure an abscess on their own because they can’t remove the source of bacteria inside the tooth. Think of them as a way to stabilize a serious infection, not a substitute for treatment. To actually resolve an abscess, the source has to be addressed, usually with a root canal or, when the tooth can’t be saved, removal.
How urgent is a dental abscess?
It’s urgent. You should be seen within a day or two even if the pain is manageable, because the infection is active. Seek care immediately if you have swelling spreading toward your eye or neck, a high fever, or any difficulty breathing or swallowing, which can signal the infection is spreading. We treat abscesses as a priority and our Jackson office’s extended hours help us see urgent cases quickly.
Can a root canal save an infected tooth?
In many cases, yes. A root canal removes the infected pulp from inside the tooth, disinfects the canals, and seals the tooth, which both clears the infection and keeps your natural tooth in place. Whether it’s the right option depends on how much healthy tooth structure remains, which our imaging shows us. When a tooth is cracked too deeply or damaged beyond repair, removal followed by a replacement plan is the better choice.
Is treating a tooth infection painful?
The infection itself is usually the painful part. We numb the area thoroughly before treatment, so you shouldn’t feel pain during the procedure, and draining the abscess often relieves the pressure that was causing the ache. For anxious patients, we offer sedation options. Most people are relieved by how much better they feel once the pressure of the infection is released.
What causes a tooth to become infected?
An infection starts when bacteria reach the soft pulp inside the tooth or the tissue around it. The most common routes in are deep decay, a crack or chip that exposes the inner tooth, a failing old filling, or advanced gum disease. Because the causes differ, our exam and imaging identify the specific source so we treat the actual problem rather than just the symptom.
How much does it cost to treat a tooth infection?
We can’t give an honest figure until we’ve seen the imaging, since draining an abscess, a root canal and crown, or a removal are very different treatments. One thing worth knowing is that treating an infection early, while a root canal can still save the tooth, is usually less costly than waiting until the tooth must be removed and replaced. Our front office checks your specific coverage and gives you an estimate before treatment. See the plans we accept with our insurance and financing options.
What happens if I ignore a tooth infection?
Ignoring an abscess lets it grow. The infection can destroy the bone around the tooth, spread to nearby teeth, and in serious cases move into other areas of the head and neck, which becomes a genuine medical risk. A tooth that could have been saved with a root canal early may need removal later. Treating the toothache behind an infection promptly is always easier than handling the consequences of waiting. |
