Pericoronitis: Infections of tissues around developing wisdom tooth
Pericoronitis is an acute infection in which there occurs the inflammation of gingival and surrounding soft tissues around an incompletely erupted tooth and the most infected one is the area around 3rd molar or wisdom tooth.
Signs and Symptoms of Pericoronitis
• There occurs the marked redness and tenderness to the associated area with the occurrence of pain and the pain can be felt by the patient radiating to ear, nose, throat and to the head region.
• There occurs a lot of uncomforting to the patient as there occurs the foul taste in his/her mouth and this is because of the food that get impacted to the flap area and also some time the patient complains of inability to close his/her mouth properly.
• Swelling of the cheek in the region of angle of the jaw can be noticeable in some of the cases.
Types of Pericoronitis
There are three types of Pericoronitis and these are Acute, Sub-acute and chronic. The most common that is seen amongst the people is the acute type of Pericoronitis.
Acute Pericoronitis
This is defined by varying degree of involvement of pericoronal flap as well as systemic complications. This infected flap gets traumatized by contact with the opposing jaw and inflammatory involvement is aggravated.
Lymphadenitis is a common finding of the Pericoronitis and the patient can be detected with complications like having fever and malaise.
Complications of Pericoronitis
• The involvement may become localized to some limit and this can result in the formation of Pericoronal abscess.
• Due to the existence of Pericoronitis mainly exists in the partially erupted tooth this can lead to cyst formation.
• This infection can spread through the ear, nose and throat to the floor of mouth and thus the engulfing action of the person can become impossible to perform.
• There are some complications that can be life threatening related to Pericoronitis and these are Cellulitis and Ludwig’s Angina.
Treatment of Pericoronitis
When the patient diagnosed with Pericoronitis come to the dentist the following procedure is followed:
-The infected area is irrigated properly with warm water to remove the superficial impacted food contents and the exudates and then the application of some topical anaesthetic agent is given to the infected area.
-Then the flap is reflected with a scaler and the underlying impacted food is again flushed out with the warm water irrigation.
-Patient is instructed for the warm saline rinses at home and this should be done after each hour and if the condition is worst then the antibiotics are also prescribed.
-If the flap is found to be swollen then the incision is given on the part and then drainage of the exudate is the procedure for that.
Treatment of Pericoronitis also depends upon the condition of involved tooth, the extent of inflammation that has taken place and the decision whether to save the involved tooth or not.
Matthew boltrukiewicz
on Sep 16th, 2011
@ 9:26 pm:
Hi , i my last molar on the right side has been rotted for 3- 4 years now and it seems to have an abscess where the hole is in the tooth, my gum next to it its swollen and it feels like i’ve got an abscess underneath my jaw line, my throat feels infected as does the whole of the right side of my face. I went to montagu hospital (2007) to get it sorted, i wanted to be put to sleep because they had to cut the gum to remove the tooth, i had to wait 6 weeks for a letter and i never got one. So i went to charles clifford in sheffield first but they didn’t give me a proper consultation and i’m chronically scared of dentists, it’s almost like a phobia, and the tooth next to it has now broken, and doesn’t have any on the enamel, shell left, i know i must get it sorted, im just too scared
metasias azisa
on Jan 2nd, 2012
@ 3:04 am:
what is the difference ‘pericoronitis’ between ‘oppercullitis’ ?
thx in advance
Online dentist
on Jan 3rd, 2012
@ 3:31 pm:
They are synonyms.
chaitanya
on Mar 4th, 2012
@ 4:58 pm:
palliative treatment for chronic pericoronitis what dugs can be prescribed for reducing infection
Jodie
on Jul 10th, 2012
@ 12:06 pm:
Hi, my son is ten, and he is still getting his back molars, they have not totally surfaced, he had a round swelling to the side of one of his back molars, which was soft to touch, but not painful. It was quite big, and a dental scan revealed nothing? Then tonight he came to me And said ” mum I have blood in my mouth” ! We rinsed his mouth numerous times with salty water, but he managed to soak up 5 tissues before the bleeding subsided somewhat! Can you advise of what this lump could possible have been, and why ther was sooo much blood in it! Thanks, appreciate the feedback.