Dry socket or alveolar osteitis is a complication of delayed healing following tooth extraction. Dry socket occurs when the blood clot is lost from its socket exposing the bone to air, bacteria and fluid. Loss of blood clot can be due to excessive fibrinolytic activity caused by bacterial, salivary factors and etc. (For your information, fibrinolysis is a process that prevents blood clot from forming) In the absence of a blood clot, healing of the extraction site is delayed because soft tissue must grow from the gum margins to cover the bone and fill the extraction socket.
All patients should expect a certain amount of tooth extraction pain after a surgical dental extraction. Therefore, it is important for the dental surgeon to discuss this issue carefully with each patient before discharging them from the office. The surgeon will have to help the patient to have a realistic expectation of what type of pain that may occur and the intensity of the pain as well. Continue reading