Dry Socket

When patients need to have teeth extracted, they’re in good hands at the Bridge Smiles Dental Group. Our doctors are skilled in saving teeth, but when extractions are necessary, the process is usually quick and easy. There is, however, one common complication which we require patient co-operation to prevent: a dry socket.

When a tooth is extracted, the jaw bone is briefly exposed at the base of the empty socket. Usually, a bit of blood will congeal into a clot, protecting the socket from dryness and infection during the few days it takes to close. However, there are medications which interfere with clotting, which is why we request that patients disclose their medical information to us. It is also possible for the clot to be torn loose or to dissolve prematurely. Patients are advised not to sip through straws or smoke following an extraction for this reason.

While some soreness is expected, patients should request an emergency appointment if they are still in great pain forty-eight hours after the extraction. Complications are likelier to occur if the extraction required an incision and suturing, but patients should not wait until the follow-up when their sutures are scheduled to be removed if they suspect something is wrong. We have antibiotics and wound dressings to treat a dried socket, should one occur, and will monitor the patient’s recovery more closely.

Drs. Meghadri and Grewal run Bridge Smiles Dental Group at 820 US Hwy 202 North Neshanic Station, NJ, and 15 North Bridge ST. Somerville, NJ. To schedule an appointment, visit BridgeSmilesDental.com.