Dry socket usually occurs within 3-5 days of an extraction and more commonly in the lower jaw. Symptoms include severe pain, a throbbing sensation, an unpleasant taste, a fever, or swollen glands. It can last for up to 7 days. By following your dentist's instructions carefully, dry socket can usually be prevented.
With proper care, a dry socket usually heals in seven to 10 days. In that time, new tissue grows and covers the exposed socket. Regular brushing and flossing during this time helps keep your mouth healthy and reduces your risk of infection. People who've had dry sockets in the past are more likely to get them again.
Dry Socket Healing Time
Dry socket typically heals within 7-10 days. After this time, new tissue has been able to cover the visible bone and the wound has begun to heal. For patients with thin alveolar bone, such as those with periodontal disease, healing may take longer.
Normal pain after tooth extraction subsides progressively within a week. However, dry socket pain increases every day and becomes excruciatingly painful, especially if something touches the nerve endings. Pain will not subside and becomes unbearable. You may also notice bad breath.
Yes, you can take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), such as aspirin or ibuprofen to ease the discomfort of dry socket pain. Often times these over-the-counter medications aren't strong enough to relieve the pain and you'll need a doctor to prescribe a stronger drug or anesthetize the area.
The great news is that dry sockets are treatable and the pain can be managed while you heal! When you get to the dentist's office, they will likely flush out the socket site to remove debris and check for further problems. They will then pack the socket with medical dressings and prescribe pain medication.
Complications from Dry Socket
The most common complication caused by dry sockets is delayed healing, which leads to possible infections. Infection signs include swelling, redness, fever, and pus discharge.
Delayed healing or continual dry sockets can pose a high risk of infection and pain. In some cases, it may be necessary to place medication or a bone graft down into the opening to facilitate appropriate healing.
Medicated dressings: Your dentist or oral surgeon may pack the socket with medicated gel or paste and medicated dressings. These can provide relatively fast pain relief. The severity of your pain and other symptoms will determine whether you need dressing changes and how often or if you need other treatment.
During normal recovery, your pain should steadily decrease over time. But instead of getting better, pain from dry socket will get worse over time. Dry socket pain usually starts a day or a few days after surgery.
Dressings are “packed” lightly into the socket and provide immediate pain relief. They typically remain in place for three to five days. Some will slowly break up in a few days, but gauze may require another trip to the dentist to be removed.
Prevention methods include avoiding smoking before and after surgery and a traumatic surgery, the use of antibiotics, such as, azithromycin, can be considered, chlorohexidine rinse or gel can be effective in the reduction of dry socket incidence.
Factors that can increase your risk of developing dry socket include: Smoking and tobacco use. Chemicals in cigarettes or other forms of tobacco may prevent or slow healing and contaminate the wound site. The act of sucking on a cigarette may physically dislodge the blood clot prematurely.
Pressure on the wound: Chewing or biting down on the empty socket can dislodge the blood clot. Similarly, using straws, sucking on foods, and blowing the nose can create negative pressure inside the mouth, increasing the risk of the blood clot detaching.
The blood hardens or clots and protects the tooth socket while the gums grow over the top of the hole. In most cases the gums completely grow over and close the tooth extraction socket within one to two weeks.
Having pain after your surgery is expected and common. Pain may last up to two weeks after surgery. It is highly recommended to take two Advil or Motrin immediately when you get home. Keep the narcotic pain medications for bedtime.
You can expect it to take about 7-10 days to heal from dry socket as new tissue begins to cover the exposed bone and heal the wound. If you have periodontal disease or thin bone, it may take longer to heal.
Dry sockets are very painful, generally begin within 2-3 days following tooth removal, and typically last 10-15 days regardless of whether the patient is treated for them or not. Reports exist of cases lasting over a month.
Dry socket paste used after the extraction process contains chemicals that promote healing and reduce pain. However, the paste your orthopedic surgeon uses might not be effective at completely eliminating the pain a patient feels.
Conclusions: Prophylactic use of amoxicillin does not significantly reduce the risk of infection and/or dry socket after third molar extraction. With amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, the risk decreases significantly.
Dry socket can last for several weeks. It is extremely painful, but once your dentist treats you, the pain should subside greatly.
The symptoms are usually worse at night, and your pain medication regimen may not help. Occasionally it is helpful to place a medicated dressing in the empty tooth socket. This will help decrease the pain and protect the socket from food particles.
The packing is usually renewed (removed, the socket gently rinsed, and the packing then replaced) every 24 to 48 hours, typically for 3 to 6 days.
Anbesol, Orajel, or Oil of Clove liquid can be dropped into the extraction socket for temporary relief and antimicrobial effects. Place a few drops into the socket several times a day as needed for pain and cover the area with a gauze pad for 10 minutes to hold the solution in the painful area.