Dry Socket Causes and Treatments

At Lehigh Valley Smiles, Dr. Alan Dilsaver provides tooth extraction services for patient’s orthodontic and restorative needs. Successful recovery from extractions requires patient compliance, and we strive to ensure patients understand how to care for themselves. However, complications such as dry sockets do occur, and when they do, we want our patients to return for help right away.

Following a successful surgery, a blood clot seals off the socket from which the tooth was extracted. But if the clot failed to form or dissolved or was dislodged prematurely, the socket will soon dry out. A dry socket can usually be identified by severe pain two days after surgery, although if the bone is visible at the base of the socket, the socket is certainly going to dry out soon if it hasn’t already.

We’ll treat a dry socket by placing medicated wound dressing over it and changing the dressing every few days. Patients will usually also be given antibiotics and painkillers. Smoking, using birth control, and sipping through straws are all actions which are known to increase a patient’s risk of developing a dry socket and should be avoided. However, complicated extractions are also known to result in dry sockets more frequently despite patients’ efforts, which is why we encourage patients to call us at the first sign of trouble.

Alan Dilsaver, DDS, FAGD, operates Lehigh Valley Smiles at 2601 Nazareth Road, Easton, Pennsylvania, 18045. To schedule an appointment, call 610-252-7414 or visit LehighValleySmiles.net and fill out a contact sheet.