A dental abscess is a pocket of infection at a tooth's root or in the gum, and it will not drain or heal on its own. Call (424) 722-6124 and our Los Angeles office will see you the same day, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Treating it today is genuinely safer than treating it Friday.
The $89 covers the emergency exam and diagnostic X-rays. Treatment is priced separately and quoted to you in writing before any work starts.
Same-day appointments · $89 exam + X-rays · Phones answered 24/7 · Se habla español
Signs of a dental abscess
- A severe, persistent throb in a tooth or the jaw around it
- Swelling in the gum, cheek, or face on one side
- A bump on the gum that looks like a pimple, sometimes leaking a salty or foul taste
- Fever, or a general run-down feeling that arrived with the tooth pain
- A tooth that's suddenly tender to the lightest touch or tap
One more that fools people: the pain stops. When an abscess ruptures or the nerve dies, the pressure drops and the tooth feels better. The infection is still there and still spreading.
Go to an emergency room first, not to us, if swelling is making it hard to breathe or swallow, if you can't open your mouth, or if you have a high fever with facial swelling. Those are signs the infection is moving into the neck or bloodstream. Hospitals handle that part; we handle the tooth after.
What happens at your same-day visit
The $89 exam and X-rays come first, because the treatment depends on where the infection lives. An abscess at the root tip means the nerve inside the tooth is dead or dying; a gum abscess is a different problem with a different fix.
From there, the dentist does what actually resolves an abscess: gets the infection out. That can mean draining it for immediate pressure relief, starting a root canal to remove the infected nerve, or, if the tooth can't be saved, an extraction. Antibiotics sometimes play a supporting role, but pills alone don't cure an abscess, and a dentist who only phones in a prescription has postponed your problem, not treated it.
You'll know the plan and the written price before anything starts.
Cost of dental abscess treatment in Los Angeles
The visit starts at $89 for the exam and X-rays. The rest depends on what the infection requires: draining, root canal, or extraction are all different procedures with different prices, quoted to you in writing before you decide. We accept most major PPO plans; insurance and financing details are on the cost and insurance page.
Why patients choose our Los Angeles office
Abscess patients need speed, and this office is built for it: same-day appointments Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, a phone answered by a real person around the clock, and a location one signal off the 405's National Blvd exit with free parking. Diagnosis, drainage, root canal, or extraction all happen under one roof.
Abscess treatment near you in Los Angeles
We're at Sepulveda and National on the Westside. From Palms that's five to ten minutes; from Mar Vista about ten; from Santa Monica fifteen to twenty-five depending on the 10. If swelling is bad, have someone else drive.
Frequently asked questions
Is a dental abscess actually dangerous?
It can be. Most abscesses stay local and resolve fully once treated, but an untreated one can spread infection into the jaw, neck, or bloodstream, and that's a hospital problem. The practical rule: tooth pain plus facial swelling means you call (424) 722-6124 today, not this week.
Can antibiotics alone cure my abscess?
No. Antibiotics can knock down the surrounding infection, and dentists use them in specific situations, but the abscess itself persists until the source is removed: the infected nerve treated or the tooth extracted. If you've finished a course of antibiotics and the swelling is creeping back, that's why.
Will you have to pull the tooth?
Not necessarily. Many abscessed teeth are saved with a root canal, which clears the infection and keeps the tooth. Extraction enters the conversation when the tooth is too damaged to rebuild. You'll see the X-ray, hear both options, and get prices in writing before choosing.
What can I do tonight before my appointment?
Rinse with warm salt water a few times, take ibuprofen or acetaminophen as directed on the label, and sleep with your head elevated, which eases the throb. Don't press on the swelling and don't try to pop anything. If breathing or swallowing gets difficult overnight, go to an ER.