Dental abscess treatment in Miami has two jobs: relieve the pressure now, and remove the source of the infection so it doesn't come back. At Prana Dental in Edgewater, Dr. Aakash Rana, DDS offers same-day appointments for tooth and gum infections, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm. Call or text (786) 579-0521 first, and if your swelling is spreading or you have a fever, go to the ER now.
Most abscesses are treated in a dental office. A few become dangerous because the infection spreads into the face, neck or bloodstream. Don't wait for a dental appointment, and go to the ER or call 911, if you have:
The ER can treat a spreading infection, and you will still need a dentist afterward to deal with the tooth. Our emergency dentist page has a broader guide to choosing between the ER and a dentist.
An abscess is a pocket of pus that forms when bacteria get somewhere they shouldn't and the body walls the infection off. In the mouth, there are three common kinds:
Knowing which kind you have matters, because each one is treated a little differently. That is something the exam and X-rays sort out.
Abscesses don't always look dramatic. Some cause severe pain, others very little. Common signs include:
Our blog post on abscess signs covers how to tell a minor issue from an emergency. If you aren't sure, call or text and describe what you see.
An abscess doesn't clear up for good on its own. The pain may come and go, and a gum bump may drain and shrink, but the bacteria are still living inside the tooth or the gum pocket. Drainage only lets some pressure out. Without treatment of the source, the infection usually returns, and in the meantime it can slowly destroy bone around the tooth.
Less often, an infection can spread into the spaces of the face and neck, which can become serious within hours or days. That is why we treat any abscess as something to see soon, and why the ER signs above matter so much.
We keep same-day appointments for suspected abscesses, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm. We are closed on Sunday. Please call or text (786) 579-0521 before you come so we can hold a time. If we can't see you the same day, we will tell you plainly and give you the soonest time, or advise you to go to the ER if your symptoms sound like they need it.
When you reach us, tell us where the swelling is, when it started, whether it is growing, whether you have a fever, and about any medical conditions, allergies or medicines. A photo of the swelling, sent by text or WhatsApp, can help us judge how urgent it is.
The first priority is your safety, then relief, then getting rid of the source. A typical visit goes like this:
Local anesthetic can work less well in an inflamed area, so we take our time, and oral sedation is available for suitable patients who are anxious.
Draining an abscess helps, but the tooth or gum that caused it has to be treated too. These are the main ways to do that.
If the tooth can be saved, a root canal removes the infected pulp, cleans and disinfects the canals, and seals them. This lets the infection drain and the bone heal over time while you keep your own tooth. A back tooth usually needs a crown afterward, made in our in-house lab. Many people find it is much like a filling; our post on what a root canal feels like explains more.
If the tooth is cracked into the root or too damaged to restore, removing it takes away the source of infection. A tooth extraction also lets the abscess drain through the socket. We then talk through replacing the tooth, for example with a bridge or a dental implant once the area has healed. If you are torn between the two, see root canal vs extraction.
For an abscess in a gum pocket, the area is drained and the pocket cleaned thoroughly to remove plaque, tartar and anything trapped under the gum. Ongoing gum disease treatment, such as scaling and root planing, helps keep it from coming back.
Antibiotics don't replace treatment of the tooth. They can't reach bacteria inside a tooth whose nerve has died, so on their own they usually only quiet an abscess for a while. Dr. Rana may prescribe them when he decides they are appropriate, for example if the infection is spreading, you have a fever, or you have a health condition that raises your risk. If you are given a prescription, take it exactly as directed and finish it unless you are told otherwise.
Please don't take leftover antibiotics, or antibiotics prescribed for someone else. They may be the wrong drug or dose, they can hide warning signs, and unnecessary antibiotics add to resistance.
Dr. Rana is a general dentist and treats most abscesses himself, including drainage, many root canals and routine extractions. When something needs more focused care, we tell you plainly. A tooth with complicated or previously treated canals may be referred to an endodontist. A difficult surgical extraction may be referred to an oral surgeon. Advanced gum disease may be referred to a periodontist. And any infection that is spreading goes to the ER or a hospital the same day.
Home care can make you more comfortable, but it doesn't treat an abscess. Keep watching for the ER signs listed at the top of this page.
After drainage, a root canal or an extraction, soreness and some swelling for a few days is common. For most people, the pain that brought them in eases noticeably within a day or two, and swelling keeps going down over the following days. Bone around a root tip can take months to fill back in, which we check on future X-rays.
Follow the instructions we give you for your treatment. Keep the area clean with gentle brushing and rinsing, eat soft food on the other side, and come back for the crown or follow-up visit when advised. Call or text us right away if swelling gets bigger instead of smaller, if pain gets worse after two or three days, or if you develop a fever. If you were prescribed antibiotics and develop a rash, hives or trouble breathing, stop and get emergency care.
The cost depends on what the abscess needs: drainage alone, a root canal and crown, a gum treatment, or an extraction and a later replacement are very different visits. The tooth involved, the X-rays needed and whether you choose sedation also affect the price. After the exam, the exact price is confirmed in writing before any treatment begins.
We accept most major dental insurance. Many plans cover exams and X-rays at a high percentage, extractions and gum treatment often as basic services, and root canals and crowns as basic or major services, subject to deductibles, waiting periods and annual maximums. We check your benefits for you. For what insurance doesn't cover, 0% financing is available on approved credit through CareCredit, Cherry and LendingClub.
We are at 3050 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 703, on Biscayne Blvd at NE 30th St in Edgewater, with building parking, street parking and rideshare drop-off at the building. Midtown and the Design District are often 5 to 10 minutes away, and Little Havana and Miami Beach often 10 to 25 minutes, depending on traffic. If you feel feverish or unwell, have someone drive you.
Dr. Aakash Rana, DDS is a general dentist trained at NYU College of Dentistry, with more than $100,000 in continuing education. He plans and treats each case at Prana Dental himself, works with our in-house lab, and refers to a specialist when a case needs one.
No. The pain may ease and a gum bump may drain, but the infection stays inside the tooth or gum pocket and usually comes back. It needs treatment of the source, such as a root canal, a gum cleaning or an extraction.
Often, yes. Once the area is numbed, the dentist can usually release the pressure through the tooth or a small opening in the gum, which tends to bring relief. The tooth still needs treatment to stop the infection from returning. Call or text first so a same-day time can be held.
Not always. Many abscesses are treated by draining them and treating the tooth, without antibiotics. A dentist may prescribe them when they decide they are appropriate, such as when an infection is spreading or you have a fever. Don't take leftover or borrowed antibiotics.
It can be. Most abscesses stay local and are treated in a dental office, but some spread into the face, neck or bloodstream. Swelling near the eye or down the neck, fever, or trouble breathing or swallowing means go to the ER now.
If you have spreading swelling, fever, or trouble breathing or swallowing, go to the ER. Otherwise a dentist is usually the right place, because the ER can treat the infection but generally can't fix the tooth that caused it.
If the tooth can be restored, a root canal keeps your natural tooth and is often the first choice. If it is cracked into the root or too damaged, extraction may be more sensible. The decision depends on the tooth, your health and your preference, and Dr. Rana explains both options.
Pain often eases within a day or two of drainage and treatment, and swelling usually keeps going down over several days. The bone around the root tip can take months to fill in. If swelling grows or pain worsens after a few days, contact your dentist.
Same-day appointments, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm. Spreading swelling or fever: go to the ER now.