What is a dry socket?

Dry socket is a common complication of tooth extraction. The dry socket is the hole in the bone from where the tooth has been removed. It is characterized by severe pain at the site of the extraction that tends to get worse over time. The pain generally begins a day or two following the extraction and can last for one to several weeks.

In normal conditions, a blood clot forms in the tooth socket, or alveolus, after a tooth is pulled to protect the bone and nerves underneath while it heals. Sometimes the blood clot either does not form or dissolve a couple of days after the extraction. That leaves the bone and the nerve exposed to air, food particles, fluid, and any other thing that enters the mouth. This can lead to infection and severe pain that can last for five or six days and delays healing.