Dry Socket – Diagnosis and Management
Dry Socket - Diagnosis and Management
Objectives
By the end of these revision notes, you should:
What is a Dry Socket?
Alveolar osteitis, or dry socket, is a relatively common post-extraction complication. We have discussed at length other complications associated with dental extractions here.
A dry socket occurs when a blood clot fails to form, or is dislodged/lost from the socket, following an extraction.
The post-extraction blood clot has two main purposes:
- Protect underlying bone and nerves
- Foundation for new bone soft tissue formation
Therefore, if a blood clot is lost, then both of these functions are not fulfilled and the patient will experience pain (as underlying structures are not protected) and delayed healing.
Aetiology of a Dry Socket
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Signs and symptoms of a Dry Socket
Diagnosing a Dry Socket
Management
Prevention
Summary