Abscess the types of dental abscesses

The Types of Dental Abscesses
There are two main types of dental abscess based on the location where they form:
Periapical (root-tip) abscess - located at the apex of an infected tooth. A periapical abscess is what we usually call tooth abscess. A periapical abscess is a pocket of infection at the tip of a tooth's root, near the jawbone, as a result of an infection of dental pulp. If this tooth root infection goes untreated (the diseased tissue in the pulp is not removed) pus can begin to build up in the root of the tooth forming an abscess. The infection can spread to the bone surrounding the tip of the root.

Periodontal abscess - located in the periodontal ligament surrounding the tooth. A periodontal abscess is what is usually called gum abscess. In this case, the infection comes from outside the tooth instead of from within. A gum, or periodontal, abscess is usually caused by an infection in the pocket between the teeth and gums. This may happen either when food particles get trapped between the gum and tooth or in cases of periodontal disease, when bacteria build up in deep pockets under the surface of the gums.

A third, not so common, type is the pericoronal abscess, which is related in most cases with the wisdom teeth. It is a kind of dental abscess that occurs when the flap of tissue covering a partially erupted tooth becomes inflamed and infected.