Can an oral fistula heal on its own?

[Vicost]

A while back, I posted about getting an oral fistula again after a root canal and two apicoectomies. Well, over the past few weeks, the fistula has gotten smaller and smaller and has now disappeared completely. Does that mean the infection is gone?

I've taken two rounds of antibiotics and really amped up the oral hygiene since getting the fistula 4 months ago.

 

[honestdoc]

If you are getting an oral fistula, it means the tooth is infected and the mouth is trying to drain it. Unfortunately you will have it again unless you have the tooth extracted. The root canal and 2 apico surgeries did not clear the infection. Consider an implant in the future.

 

[Vicost]

I frankly won't be able to afford an implant and I'm way too young to even have an implant

 

[MattKW]

I frankly won't be able to afford an implant and I'm way too young to even have an implant

An endodontic referral might be useful for a detailed opinion. If you have x-rays, post them up and I'll give you my opinion. If you can't afford an endodontist, then extract the tooth ASAP and have a 1-tooth partial denture made as simplest and most cost-effective treatment. You can worry about more complex solutions later. Your oral hygiene status doesn't matter. Taking multiple antibiotics won't cure the problem, it'll only dampen it for a while. Taking antibiotics for this sort of problem is like taking antibiotics for a splinter in your skin - you have to deal with the splinter definitively or the infection will worsen.