What is a Dry Socket?A dry socket (alveolar osteitis) is a complication that can occur after a tooth extraction, particularly wisdom teeth. This condition arises when the exposed bone underneath the extraction site gets inflamed.Typically, a blood clot forms in the socket—the space in the jawbone where the tooth was—to aid healing by protecting the underlying bone and nerves. However, if this clot dislodges or doesn’t develop, it leads to a dry socket.Dry socket is relatively uncommon, occurring in 1 to 5% of tooth extractions.1 However, it’s more frequent in wisdom tooth removals, affecting up to 38% of cases.1 It is most likely to develop in:The lower jawPeople older than 30 yearsFemalesInfected teeth prior to surgeryWhat Does a Dry Socket Look Like?A dry socket appears as a hole where the tooth was removed. You’ll see the bone that once surrounded the extracted tooth. The empty tooth socket where the tooth was pulled may appear dry or have a whitish, bone-like color.Food debris or...
