3 Rotten Upper Right Teeth

This may be a little confusing to look at initially.  We are looking a picture of a mirror.  This is a mirror reflection of a mans upper jaw or maxillae.  The big arrow is pointing to tooth #4, the little arrow to tooth #6.  The rotten teeth shown in this picture are rotten to various levels and degrees.  Tooth #4 is mostly subgingival (under the gum).  This tooth, although the most highly diseased of the three is the least visible and not the one causing the most pain and swelling, although it is highly infected.  The little arrow is pointing to tooth #6, an upper right cupid or canine – some call it an eye tooth (many years ago, before the use of antibiotics “one could loose an eye” due to a severely infected upper cuspid.)  The infection from this tooth #6 brought this gentleman to my Palm Harbor, Tampa FL area dentist office.  Unfortunately, after a round of antibiotics, this man has not returned for treatment for one year.  The infection will return and will require extractions and/or root canal therapy.