How dangerous can a fistula on a tooth become? | Fistula on tooth

How dangerous can a fistula on a tooth become?

A fistula can be very painful, especially in the early stages of its development. However, as soon as an opening, e.g. to the oral cavity, has formed, the pain disappears. A small pustule on the oral mucosa represents the opening of the fistula, through which pus flows out.

The disappearing pain is the dangerous thing about a fistula. Affected patients do not notice the fistula in an advanced stage, as it does not cause any discomfort. However, the inflammation continues to progress in depth and spreads unhindered.

Bones and other surrounding tissues are destroyed. It can also lead to the loss of teeth. In the worst case, the inflammation can spread to the bone marrow and thus to the bloodstream.

Duration

The duration of a fistula on a tooth is difficult to assess. Some people have severe pain even at low levels and go to the doctor immediately, while others do not notice anything and go to the doctor months later. Usually it only takes a short time after an inflammation of the root tip before an unpleasant feeling is felt on the tooth.

The fistula then develops over the course of several weeks, and the pain increases as it progresses. As soon as a treatment is started, a quick relief of pain can be felt. When a root canal treatment is completed and the tooth is painless, the opened tooth can be closed again definitively. The damage to the bone around the guilty tooth heals only within a few months if it is free of bacteria. This is related to the slower healing rate of bone in general.

Fistula on a tooth in a child

Fistulas in children can occur for the same reasons as in adults. However, the treatment is different. The inflammation is chronic and usually not painful.

If it originates from a milk tooth, it must be removed. A root canal treatment could damage the underlying germ of the permanent teeth and is therefore not indicated. However, since it would not be possible to preserve the tooth with other methods, there is no other option than extraction.

However, if the focus of inflammation is a permanent tooth of the child or if there are no permanent tooth germs due to a congenital malformation, then a root canal treatment can be considered for a child. The treating doctor must decide this in each individual case.