What is dry socket (alveolar osteoarthritis)?
A dry socket (alveolar osteitis) is a painful dental condition that sometimes happens after you have a permanent adult tooth extracted.
A dry socket is when the blood clot at the site of the tooth extraction fails to develop, or it dislodges or dissolves before the wound has healed.
Normally, a blood clot forms at the site of tooth extraction. This blood clot serves as a protective layer over the underlying bone and nerve endings in the empty tooth socket. The clot also provides the foundation for the growth of new bone and for the development of soft tissue over the clot.
Do you have a dry socket if you experience pain for 3 days after tooth extraction? Self-medication is not allowed and you should definitely consult a doctor.
Signs and symptoms of dry socket may include:
- Severe pain within a few days after a tooth extraction
- Partial or total loss of the blood clot at the tooth extraction site, which you may notice as an empty-looking (dry) socket
- Visible bone in the socket
- Pain that radiates from the socket to your ear, eye, temple, or neck on the same side of your face as the extraction
- Bad breath or a foul odor coming from your mouth
- Unpleasant taste in your mouth
The precise cause of dry socket remains the subject of study. Researchers suspect that certain issues may be involved, such as:
- Bacterial contamination of the socket
- Trauma at the surgical site from a difficult extraction, as with an impacted wisdom tooth
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-socket/symptoms-
causes/syc-20354376
