Surgical incision and drainage (I&D) is a commonly used technique in oral surgery to treat dental infections which have progressed to oral swellings.
IMPORTANT!
If you feel like you are developing an infection please contact our office at 631-421-2471 as soon as possible. Untreated dental infections can spread to other places of the body, and when left untreated can be dangerous.
Reasons for I&D
In some situations, the tooth may be responsible for the infection. If so, in some situations the tooth in question is often extracted in conjunction with performing the incision and drainage. In other cases, the tooth responsible for the infection may be salvaged.
Procedure
In general, a small incision is made in the gums at the most prominent point of the oral swelling. The infection is then drained and the site is irrigated with sterile saline solution. In certain instances where a significant amount of swelling and infection are present or when the infection has been long standing, our oral surgeons may elect to place a rubber drain to keep the surgical site open. This allows for any residual drainage to occur and prevents the need for any further surgery at this site. The drain will be removed by our oral surgeons in 24 to 72 hours after placement.