Dry Socket is a very painful condition which is a result of dislodgement of the blood clot 2-3 days after the extraction and looking at Dry Socket pictures gives you an idea of whether it is really a Dry Socket or just a healing Socket after extraction. This leads to exposure of the bone which is the cause of the pain. Dry socket leads to radiating pain which can be felt at the site, extra orally as well with pain in the ears and the side of the head. Dry socket after wisdom tooth removal is seen more commonly as compared to other teeth due to the surgical procedure which is followed such as removal of bone etc.
In the Normal healing process, the Blood clot is present in the socket which gives the bone a chance to fill in the empty socket space overtime. With the loss of clot, the socket and bone are exposed delaying healing which leads to the excruciating pain felt by the patients. You can check here the complete details about – “Dry Socket or Alveolar Osteitis“
Dry Socket Tooth Extraction Symptoms:
Severe Radiating Pain to the Ear or other parts of the face.
The socket is devoid of clot or contains brown, friable clot which is easily washed out.
Foul smell: Due to Food debris accumulated in the socket which starts disintegrating.
On washing away of the food debris the bare pocket floor can be seen which is extremely sensitive to touch.
Regional Lymph nodes: Tender and enlarged.
Occasionally Pyrexia is seen.
dry socket formation
With the main reason for Dry Socket being loss of Blood clot it is important that the main emphasis on treating Dry socket be restoring the Blood clot in the extraction site which will help in starting the healing process. If you are a Dental Student looking for how a dry socket looks or a patient suffering from dry socket, the set of images listed below is how a dry socket looks clinically. Normal socket after a tooth extraction should be without any food particles being stuck in it along with a healthy blood clot.
Dry Socket With Necrotic Bone
In the Images shown above and below, it is clearly visible that there is a loss of Blood clot from the extraction site as the necrotic bone is clearly visible which is a typical appearance of Dry Socket. Clinically we can also see that there is a foul smell being emitted from the site another typical sign of Dry Socket.
Dry socket with unhealed Socket
The image shown below shows the presence of slough or necrotic substance in the extraction site which is a sign that the extraction site is not healing and it is infected. This infection leads to loss of normal healing tissue and in turn loss of blood clot and exposure of bone. So treatment in such cases required copious irrigation of the extraction site and the use of a ZOE pack after the site is cleaned and bleeding is instigated to help in future blood clot formation.
Necrotic tissue or Slough formation in extraction site of Dry Socket
Who are more likely to get Dry Socket?
Here are some of the habits of things when done is likely to result in Dry Socket. So it is important to note that the things mentioned below are to be avoided at any cost to help in proper healing and prevent Dry Socket formation after extraction.
Smoking – It is a strict “NO” after Tooth extraction, it is seen that the major percent of Dry socket patients are known to be smoking after extraction. It is best to avoid smoking for a couple of days after extraction.
Poor Oral Hygiene: This is also one of the major causes of Dry socket, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene after tooth extraction.
History of Dry Socket: Patients who have earlier faced Dry socket are more likely to get dry socket.
Oral Contraceptive Pills: Patients on Contraceptive pills are seen to get Dry Socket.
Increased Bone cutting and Trauma during Wisdom tooth removal:
Aggressive rinsing immediately after extraction, drinking with a straw: These are two things which result in dislodgement of the Blood clot in the Socket and exposure of the bone which is one of the causes of Dry Socket.
It is important to note that the above mentioned points are to be avoided at any cost the make sure that you do not get Dry Socket.
Dry Socket with Slough formation – The slough seen is the cause of the Foul smell and Foul taste which you experience in Dry Socket.
Dry Socket in the upper left 2nd molar
It is very important for a Dentist to keep regular followups with the patients after extraction to make sure that any initial signs of Dry socket formation are detected and treated. The patient needs to follow all the post-extraction instructions given by the Dentist to the point and make sure that no instruction is taken for granted which might lead to a Dry Socket formation.
I had a tooth pulled 2 days ago and now my mouth is so sore and hurts where he gave me the shots. The hole has white around it and inside is like brown with black specks. Is this normal for healing.
If it is paining where he gave you the injection, then it most likely is muscle trismus which will subside on its own in a couple of days. As for the white and brown specks it is nothing but food impacted in your extraction socket.
It’s ny 4th day after a wisdom tooth extraction and the site where the extraction occured is painful. All i can see is it’s whitish and there’s still a hole. Inside the hole i can see also a white thing. Is this normal or is this already a dry socket
It is not a dry socket, it is the normal healing process which you are seeing. Just maintain good oral hygiene and there will be nothing to worry about.
I have exposed bone at the bottom of a raw-looking socket that has tried to heal around the circumference of it. The extraction (1st molar, top) was 14 days ago. The bone looks like it is edged with black, less than a millimeter on approx 3 millimeters of bone. I am scared that it is necrotic. A dentist saw it a week ago, took out my stitches — why I am sure it is bone. The strangest part is that I don’t have very much pain. I have advanced disc disease in my neck and I had a lot —whew, vast amount of pain before the extraction. Could it be that a nerve is so damaged that I am not feeling the dry socket? Should I listen to the oral surgery people tell me to wait, because “sometimes it takes six weeks to heal and close up”…? Thanks. No fever, otherwise the gum area looks a good colour. The occasional pain when it does, not often, is very very bad quality of pain.
Its just the normal healing process, there is nothing to worry about. Healing takes different times in different patients for some its faster and some it is slower. If you do not have any pain and discomfort there is nothing to worry about. Just make sure you maintain good oral hygiene and do not let any food particles get stuck in the socket and always keep it clean.
Looks like a case of Infected socket or a partial dry socket which has not progressed into a full fledged Dry Socket. You wont be having the severe pain as it has been diagnosed and your Dentist might have started the treatment for the same.
I had #30 pulled on Monday (it’s now Friday) I had a bad infection before it was drained the week before. I’m still having some pain and worried about dry socket. When I look the hole is big and empty/white. There’s also 2 holes like a little skin started to heal over. I see a little black deep inside the hole but it’s mostly empty. Should the hole still be empty 5 days later? I do smoke.
It takes around weeks for the hole to fill in completely, so having a hole is normal as well as the white space. It is a good sign that little skin started to heal which in a way is not what a Dry socket looks like. But smoking is a big contraindication and it is one of the major causes of Dry Soket.
i had a tooth pulled 2 days ago, and my the socket is looking mostly red with a little white bone. is this dry socket?
No that dosent seems like Dry Socket but a normal healing socket.
Hi, so I recently got my lower right wisdom tooth out because it was impacted, from what I was told, the surgery went well, but I was told to rinse 15 hours out with salt water after surgery, so I did, but the same day the blood clot dislodged and the next day I had a excruciating headache and could barely sleep, that happened Wednesday, and on Saturday I went back and they packed it with dry socket packing, it’s now Monday, I was told to leave it in but I’m scared, what do I do?
You need to get the packing replaced when the Dentist suggests, here we usually make sure to replace the Packing every other day depending on the amount of pain the patient is facing.
Hi
I had my molar removed 3 days ago and it wasn’t painful until recently. Problem is the socket isn’t painful but rather the tooth besides it, My socket has a brownish color with traces of white and black which I’m not sure what to make of. Please advise as to if this is normal because I’m very scared of getting a dry socket. PS I’m a smoker.
i had two teeth puled out and i was bleeding for 8 hours now it looks as if skin has felt the hole but is soe is two days now ans is white on top the hole is smaller is this normall
Hi, I had my 1 and (32?) bottom right wisdom tooth extracted Monday July 8, it is the 11th and it is showing a black brownish color, the feel of it is very mushy. I have been getting weird taste and foul odor coming from it but not too much pain. I did have cellulitis and it was very necessary to get them extracted. I have only smoked a bit, I can not see the top to describe. But I did notice the stuchers sticking out tonight. Does this sound like dry socket?
Im currently traveling for 3 months out of the country and unfortunately I got a bad infection in my bottom right last molar which was treated with antibiotics. After the infection was treated I had a Swiss dentist perform a 3D x-ray and determined the tooth had a longitudinal fracture and had to be pulled. 14 days ago I had the tooth removed. 4 days ago (10 after the extraction) an Italian dentist in Rome diagnosed the extraction site with dry socket. He elected to scrape the bone and gum to get it to bleed again and create a new clot. As of today, 4 days after the re-treatment, the hole is still extremely tender when I eat. Not to the extent that you have mentioned with dry socket, but im still on 2400 mg of Advil per day. Im now in the Africa phase of my trip and dont want to go to any local dentists if possible. Are you able to make a fairly confident decision as to whether the dry socket has returned from pics and vids from my phone?
Hi i had 14 teeth pulled 7 on top 7 on the bottom all front teeth, i had to abcessed teeth before they were pulled, the day after i started having pain and by the third day it was unbearable its constant pain around the absract sites in my jaws, all around my face across my cheek bones, horrible headaches, neck pains, its been a week now and im still in pain what do you think it might be.
Hi i had 14 teeth pulled 7 on top 7 on the bottom all front teeth, i had to abcessed teeth before they were pulled, the day after i started having pain and by the third day it was unbearable its constant pain around the absract sites in my jaws, all around my face across my cheek bones, horrible headaches, neck pains, its been a week now and im still in pain what do you think it might be.
I had my upper molar extracted 5 hrs ago. I got my teeth brushed after 3 hrs and rinse with plax, after that I checked the area.. is it normal that I cant see the stictches only red maybe the blod clot perhaps.. I’m scared with the dry clot..
It appears to be a case of Dry Socket or Secondry Infection in the Extraction Sites. Its better to get it checked by your Dentist once.
Dry Socket takes a little bit of time to come down and heal completely. The main treatment for Dry Socket is to start bleeding and to initiate healing. So the Socket will be tender for 4-7 days. If your pain is subsiding and you need to make sure that you keep the socket clean without any food being impacted in it.
Hi I had my upper molar removed 3 days ago and I can now see white with a bit of grey is this normal or dry socket p.s I’m a smoker
It appears to be a normal healing socket, you should be concerned if you started smoking after the extraction as it might lead to a Dry Socket anywhere between 3- 7 days.
Hi there basically I had a lower molar tooth (next to the wisdom tooth) extracted on Wednesday the 17th July at 5oclock GMT… it has now been 72 hours and the hole looks like a scab type colour but abit of bleeding Keeps occurring here and there, I am rinsing 3/4 times a day with warm salt water and brushing my teeth and tongue but not the extraction area as I’m scared doing the wisdom tooth and tooth next to the extraction site will damage the hole and also have toothpaste leaking in there. Is the healing process going well?
I’m on day two of extraction and I think I lost my blog clot. How do I know if I lost it and how long would the pain last if I did and have dry socket?
You will be having Excruciating Pain in case of a Dry Socket, loosing a Clot is common and until you follow the regular post extraction instructions it will not be a problem as your clot will form back.
Hii I have white and black substance form where my tooth was extracted and the gum looks light red is it dry socket and its the 5th day today
It dosent seem to be a Dry socket as you have not mentioned the main feature of Dry Socket (Pain), from what you have described it appears to be a normal healing socket. Just make sure you keep cleaning it properly after every meal.
Hello,
I have a question. It’s been 11 days since I had 4 wisdom teeth extracted. All my stitches came out 4 days ago and i was healing fine. However, last night out of no where I woke up with a bit of pain. My bottom left gum and left cheek were swollen. I did a salt and water rinse, and went back to bed. I wake up the following morning and i have no pain. My cheek and gum is a bit swollen, but I have no other symptoms like white or yellow puss or foul odor. Should I be worried? I can’t even call the office since they are closed on weekends.
I had my bottom right wisdom pulled nearly two weeks ago I still have same pain and it doesn’t seem to have closed any is this normal their was a blood clot on the second day now its just open
It seems like there is food impaction in the extraction socket which is preventing the socket from closing, make sure that you clean the socket well after every meal. It dosen’t seem like dry socket.
It appears most probably to be food impaction in the socket which might have lead to pain and swelling. Make sure you keep gargling with salt water regularly after every meal. Its best to get it checked with your dentist if possible.
I had four of my wisdom teeth extracted a week ago, and my bottom two extraction sites are still swollen and very sensitive. My stitches have come out, and I have terrible pain at night usually or after extensive workouts (I have been hiking a lot) the holes are still large, and I notice food getting stuck. I can’t get all of it out usually and I was wonder if this is what is keeping my gums from healing. I do not feel nerve pain and I can eat and drink without problems so I am figuring no dry socket but I do feel as though they should be closing by now.
I had a bottom molar removed one week ago. I started having some increased pain on the third day. I have been using an oral antiseptic, salt water rinses and pain medication to help. It hadn’t been unbearable but still painful. Today the pain has increased quite a bit. The hole has a large, white bonish looking thing. Dry socket?
I had my wisdom tooth extracted 48hrs ago. I’m still having major pain in the site, in my ear, jaw & neck. I’m on antibiotics and pain meds but as soon as they wear off I’m in excruciating pain.
That doesn’t seem like Dry Socket but a simple case of Food impaction preventing the sockets from healing up. You need to gargle regularly after meal to make sure that food particles are not present in the socket, the socket needs to be devoid of any food particles for it to heal properly. Make sure you gargle at least once everyday using a medicated mouthwash or a Simple Salt water gargle will be very effective sufficiin removing the food particles and aiding the sockets to heal faster.
Extensive work outs after getting all four of your Wisdom teeth extracted is not advised for a minimum of 1 week to 10 days. Make sure you get sufficient rest along with work out.
This does seem like a Dry Socket, as it usually flares up after a few days, the main culprit leading to Dry Socket is the exposed bone which becomes tender. It is better you get it checked up by your Dentist once to be clear.
You need to give it a little bit of time, 48 hours is too less for a Dry Socket to form. The symptoms you are facing is normal healing process of a Extraction site. Make sure you are following all the Post Extraction tips mentioned by your Dentist and keep applying ice packs from the outside of the extraction socket to help you ease the pain and inflammation.
I had tooth 26 removed is was a difficult extraction. Dentist said i had 2 roots. On day 3i started to feel throbbing pain around the extraction area. Felt my pulse in my gum around the area. Still felt the pressure after taking meds. I looked up home remedy for dry socket and used honey. It helped the pulsating pain/presure . my hole is white n some brown .? Not sure if the is dry socket.
Are you having any foul smell from the extraction socket?
Is the pain excruciating or is it bearable ?
Hi, got my second bottom molar extracted yesterday around 3pm. There was a nice red clot formed last night but today the hole is filled with a white and gray looking substance? Is this normal
Yes, it is normal healing process there is nothing to worry about. Just make sure you follow all the post extraction instructions
Hello, I had wisdom a tooth extraction 4 days ago, and im smoking cigrets from day 3 by keeping gauze near the socket. i dont feel any pain, and the socket is looking some what, white & grey colour. Is it dry socket or normal healing?
Thanks
The symptoms which you have mentioned do not seem like a Dry Socket. Try to minimize the number of cigarettes you smoke as this is a major factor for Dry Socket formation.
Had my molar next to my wisdom tooth extracted at 11am yesterday and alreay i woke up this morning all bloody gone and llooks like alot of white bone filling up the hole but the gums are not closing but im in pain still is this dry socket?
Gums do not close in just one day it takes multiple days for it to heal. There will be a little bit of pain and discomfort for 24-48 hours. Dry Socket usually manifests itself after a few days and not immediately. So just make sure you follow all the post extraction instructions properly and maintain good oral hygiene.
I had a lower premolar extraction 5 days ago and for the first 24 hrs the pain was mild and just one painkiller helped but day by day the pain is increasing and even after taking 2 painkillers a day I had a sleepless night. Is it a dry socket?
I had five teeth pulled two at the top and three and the bottom. One of the teeth at the top was a canine. A little while ago I blew blood out my nose not a whole lot. Should I be worried not in a whole lot of pain
Hi I had back tooth pulled Monday now Wednesday and am experiencing a lot of pain around my gums they are very red n I must mention I had a pimple of pus that was a infection, is it the infection causing the pain , pain shoots up to my ear n throat , as soon as I take my antibiotic n painkiller it calms down