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Lateral Periodontal Abscess
A lateral periodontal abscess is a painful condition in which the soft tissue around a tooth root becomes inflamed and swollen, when a deep periodontal pocket becomes sealed off at the gum line, usually by heavy calculus deposits. Without the ability for drainage to escape the pocket, bacterial infection and fluid from the body’s immune response cause swelling to occur. Within the pocket, acids and enzymes from the infection, and the body’s immune response to it, begin to erode away the tooth’s bony housing.
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Author: Thomas J. Greany, D.D.S. / Editor: Ken Lambrecht
This page was last updated on March 6, 2018.