In dentistry, a dry socket is a layman's term for alveolar osteitis. The alveolus is the part of the jawbone that supports the teeth, and osteitis means simply “bone inflammation”. Alveolar osteitis refers to inflammation of the alveolar bone following extraction of the tooth. Alveolar osteitis is a painful phenomenon that most commonly occurs a few days following the removal of mandibular (lower) wisdom teeth. It occurs when the blood clot within the healing tooth extraction site is disrupted. As with any extraction of a tooth, some pain is to be expected, as the gums surrounding the former location will be damaged to a certain degree. This is especially so in extractions of impacted wisdom teeth, which may not have properly erupted; in these cases, the gums are cut open to allow access to the tooth, then sutured shut. However, a dry socket typically presents as a sharp and sudden increase in pain commencing 2–5 days following the extraction of a mandibular molar, most commonly the third molar. It can also be accompanied by a foul taste or smell. The pain, which often radiates up and down the head and neck, can be extremely unpleasant for the patient. It will often cause pain in the ears as well. A dry socket is not an infection, and is not directly associated with swelling because it occurs entirely within bone - it is a phenomenon of inflammation within the bony lining of an empty tooth socket. Because dry socket is not an infection, the use of antibiotics has no effect on its rate of occurrence.
