An abscessed tooth is an infection with pus trapped at the root or in the gum, and it needs to be drained and treated, not waited out. We treat dental abscesses the same day at our Phoenix office, Monday through Saturday. Call (602) 737-2446 now. If your face is swollen and you have a fever, or you're having trouble breathing or swallowing, go to a hospital emergency room first.
The $45 covers the emergency exam and diagnostic X-rays. Treatment is priced separately and quoted to you in writing before any work starts.
Open Saturdays · Same-day appointments · Most PPO plans · Se habla español
Signs you need dental abscess treatment today
There are two kinds. A tooth abscess starts inside the tooth, when decay or a crack lets bacteria reach the nerve, and it collects at the tip of the root. A gum abscess starts in the pocket between the gum and the tooth, often where gum disease has made the pocket deep. Either kind needs a dentist today.
Signs of an abscessed tooth:
- A severe, throbbing toothache that spreads to the jaw or ear on that side
- A swollen jaw from the tooth, or a puffy spot on the gum that looks like a pimple
- Sudden foul-tasting fluid in your mouth (the abscess has burst; the infection is still there)
- The tooth feels raised, and biting on it hurts
- Fever or feeling generally unwell
When to go to the emergency room first. Facial swelling with a fever, swelling that's closing your eye, difficulty opening your mouth, or any trouble breathing or swallowing means the infection may be spreading into the spaces of the neck or face. Go to the nearest ER or call 911. HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center (on Dunlap, east of Central) and Banner Thunderbird Medical Center (59th Avenue and Thunderbird) are both nearby. Once you're stable, come to us for the tooth itself.
What happens at your same-day visit
Our dentists examine the swelling, take X-rays to locate the abscess, and check whether the tooth can be saved. Then you get a written price and a plan.
Treatment has two parts. The first is getting the pus out. For a gum abscess, that's a small incision and drainage, then a cleaning of the pocket. For an abscess at the root tip, drainage often happens through the tooth itself when the root canal is opened, and the pressure drops almost immediately.
The second part is removing the source. A tooth with enough healthy structure gets a root canal so the infection can't return. A tooth that's cracked through or too broken down gets an emergency tooth extraction, which removes the infection along with it.
Cost of dental abscess treatment in Phoenix
The visit begins with the $45 emergency exam and X-rays. After that, the cost depends on what the abscess needs: drainage alone, a root canal, or an extraction. Our dentists put the price in writing after the diagnosis and before treatment.
We take cash and most major PPO plans, including Cigna, Aetna, Delta Dental, Guardian, and Principal, and we offer CareCredit, Cherry, and HFD payment plans. Details are on the cost and insurance page.
Why patients choose our Phoenix office
Infections don't keep business hours, so ours are long: Monday through Saturday, 7am to 5pm. A jaw that swells up on Friday evening can be treated Saturday morning. The phone is answered 24/7 by a live person, and on Sunday, when the office is closed, they'll hold you the first Monday slot at 7am.
Walk in if you can't call. If you can, phone first and a room will be ready.
Drainage, root canals, and extractions all happen in-house, at the same visit, by our dentists. Cash and most PPO plans are taken, CareCredit, Cherry and HFD are the payment plan options, and parking is on site.
Dental abscess treatment near you in Phoenix
You'll find us at 10209 N 35th Ave Ste 129B, Phoenix, AZ 85051, on 35th Avenue between Dunlap and Peoria in northwest Phoenix, about a mile west of I-17. Exit at Dunlap (207) or Peoria (208) and drive west. Rose Mofford Sports Complex at 25th Avenue and Peoria is a few minutes east of us.
From Glendale, take Glendale or Northern Avenue east to 35th and go north, about 15 minutes. From Alhambra and Christown, 19th or 35th Avenue north to Dunlap gets you here in 10 to 15 minutes. From Moon Valley, it's Thunderbird or Cactus west to 35th and then south.
Frequently asked questions
Can a dental abscess go away on its own?
No. An abscess may burst and drain, which lowers the pressure and the pain, but the infection at the root or in the gum pocket stays and will refill. Left alone, it can spread to the jawbone or the soft tissue of the face. The tooth needs a root canal or an extraction to end it.
Should I go to the ER or a dentist for a tooth infection?
Go to the ER first if you have facial swelling with a fever, trouble breathing or swallowing, or swelling that's spreading toward your eye or down your neck. Otherwise, come to a dentist: an ER can give antibiotics and pain relief but doesn't drain abscesses or treat the tooth. We see abscess patients the same day, Monday through Saturday.
Will I need antibiotics for an abscessed tooth?
Sometimes, and our dentists decide case by case. When swelling has spread past the tooth or you have a fever, antibiotics help your body control the infection while the tooth is treated. They don't replace drainage, a root canal, or an extraction.