Incision and drainage of a dental abscess is often the most important surgical procedure that a patient can have. Dental infections are becoming more and more serious with each passing year. Oral bacteria are beginning to develop resistant stains that do not respond to a routine dental antibiotic. A half a century ago before the discovery of penicillin, it was very common for a patient to die from an aggressive dental infection. Although it is much less common for this to occur today, problems are being seen.
An incision and drainage procedure helps prevent the overwhelming growth of an aggressive dental infection. A dental infection can rapidly grow and swell up like a large balloon. It is not uncommon for a patient to fall asleep and wake up with a baseball sized infection. The swelling can block the airway, suffocate and even kill an unfortunate patient. Ludwig's angina is a good example of this type of life threatening infection. The I&D procedure, when done early, allows the pus to drain out of the patient's body rather than swell within the tissues where it can cause significant problems.
During the incision and drainage procedure, the dentist uses a surgical scalpel to make a deep incision through the full depth of the infection all the way to the underlying jaw bone. The incision is dissected open and a rubber wick is sewn in place to keep the opening from healing. If the opening heals shut, the pus will not be able to drain out of the body. The infection has to be localized enough for the procedure to work so it must be done early before the problem develops into a facial cellulitis.
The dentists at the Atlanta Dental Group PC are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being. We provide most oral surgery services, including incision and drainage, along with offering comprehensive General, Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry. Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky is a dentist in Atlanta who practices with the group and performs most of the oral surgery procedures for the practice. Dr P really does care about his patients and he also cares about how they feel about him. If you wish to schedule an appointment with our Georgia Dentist, Dr. Padolsky, call 404-874-7428.