Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Dry Socket Torture

  • 02-07-2020 12:00am
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 21,679 ✭✭✭✭


    Hello, I had an extraction last Friday. It was my lower tooth on the right side. The pain started to get very bad from Saturday night. I returned to my dentist on Monday and my suspicions were confirmed, dry socket. He put a special dressing on the area and prescribed Ponstan and paracetamol.

    Just when I think I'm improving the jolts down in to my jaw return. I've also new pain which is a dull ache in my cheekbone. Sure I'd be here all night if I was to describe all the different types and points it reaches.

    I take the Ponstan once every 8 hours. I'll be due another in about 30 minutes. I took 2 paracetamol at 10.40am. Didn't make a blind bit of difference. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.

    Anyways I'm wondering if anyone here has experienced dry socket and if what I'm describing sounds common? I haven't been without any pain since Friday.


Comments

  • #2
    Oral Surgeon
    Registered Users Posts: 3,240 ✭✭✭Oral Surgeon


    Dry socket is a fairly common complication of extractions. It happens in about 3% of extractions and up to 20% of lower wisdom teeth depending on what studies you believe!
    Most common sites are the lower back teeth.
    Most common person is a female, on the oral contraceptive pill, smoker....
    Pain develops 2-3 days post extraction and can last up to 10 days or so.
    The site should characteristically show a socket devoid of a blood clot and likely full of food debris, on rinsing this out, the exposed bony walls of the socket are seen or felt.
    Often there is no swelling
    Often there is a bad taste in the mouth

    Treatment options differ between operators,
    Some advise patients to rinse vigorously and give blunt syringes to aid this and advise strong pain killers.
    Some place a dry socket dressing (alveogel) that helps soothe the area, keep it clean and prevent food packing in the socket again, and also sting pain killers....

    In some cases, what now looks like a dry socket, actually turns out to be a post operative infection, be vigilant for this...

    Dry socket dressings must be completely removed after 5-7 days, some clinicians think that they dissolve away... they don’t...

    Head back to your dentist if you are not doing well
    The area can be assessed again
    The area can be rinses and a fresh pack placed
    You can be prescribed stronger pain killers
    Rarely, in severe pain, I give long acting local anaesthetic to give the patient about 8-12 hours of relief.....

    Good luck,
    Os
    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    Hello, I had an extraction last Friday. It was my lower tooth on the right side. The pain started to get very bad from Saturday night. I returned to my dentist on Monday and my suspicions were confirmed, dry socket. He put a special dressing on the area and prescribed Ponstan and paracetamol.

    Just when I think I'm improving the jolts down in to my jaw return. I've also new pain which is a dull ache in my cheekbone. Sure I'd be here all night if I was to describe all the different types and points it reaches.

    I take the Ponstan once every 8 hours. I'll be due another in about 30 minutes. I took 2 paracetamol at 10.40am. Didn't make a blind bit of difference. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.

    Anyways I'm wondering if anyone here has experienced dry socket and if what I'm describing sounds common? I haven't been without any pain since Friday.


  • #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 21,679 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Thanks OS. Apart from being female the other risk factors don't apply to me, although according to google periodontal issues can be one. I had treatment for gum disease last year so I probably tick that box.

    I will remain hopeful and if there's no change at all come Friday I'll give them a ring. As for the dressing, there was no mention of needing to return to have it removed, just that it will come away by itself. Yikes.


  • #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 21,679 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    The saga continues. I'm sitting up in bed experiencing a brief respite which means pain of 6 rather than 8. Pain is shooting up in to my ear, head, roof of mouth and jaw. Its very sharp. Since all this started I haven't had a single day that's pain free.

    I went back to my dentist on Saturday and he told me the site was almost healed and what I was experiencing then was post extraction pain.
    I have taken Ibuprofen and 2 solpadeine in the last hour.

    I think I'm going a bit crazy.


  • #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 21,679 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    It turned out that I didn't have dry socket but a developing abscess and infection on the tooth behind it which was filled on same day as extraction. I got that tooth out on Friday gone by. All my antibiotics are gone and I'm down to 4 paracetamol a day. I asked my boyfriend to have a look and all he can see is bone :(
    Jesus Christ. I think I must be cursed. Surely there should be a clot there and I should pain free.

    I'll ring my dentist tomorrow. Sign.


  • #6
    Car99
    Registered Users Posts: 2,530 ✭✭✭Car99


    Ive nothing helpful to add but Jesus that sounds terrible. I hope you get some relief soon.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 21,679 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Car99 wrote: »
    Ive nothing helpful to add but Jesus that sounds terrible. I hope you get some relief soon.

    Ah thanks :) I'm actually a million times better on the pain front than last week. Maybe I'm expecting too much to be completely pain free after the trauma my mouth went through. I just feel anxious that I now have dry socket and the pain will ramp up again. The whole experience is doing strange things to mind!


Advertisement