Abscess from trauma... do they ever go away?

[Sarahariz]

I’m a 59 y/o female who was diagnosed with an abscess in my upper cuspid during my last set of dental x-rays. There’s no decay in the tooth. When I was about 12 years old I was hit in the mouth near that tooth with a softball. My lip got stuck in my braces at the time.

i’ve gotten opinions from about five different dentists and one endodontist who all say it will never get better and I should get a root canal. Is that 100% true? Or does an abscess ever go away or not get worse?

 

[Dr M]

Good day

Without any intervention, the abscess will continue to grow in size and then destroy tissues around the apex or root tip of the tooth.
It can start affecting adjacent teeth as well as spread to adjacent facial spaces, which might end up in a life threatening situation if very severe.
Unfortunately, you will have to consider root canal therapy. Continuous use of antibiotics is also never a solution. The solution will ultimately be to get rid of the cause of the infection.

 

[MattKW]

Take an Xray, then retake in 6-12 months. If no change, then get a fresh Xray every 12 months. If it is small and unchanging "abscess", then there may not be an absolute necessity to have it treated, but regular monitoring is essential. Can you post the Xray?