Comprehensive review on alveolar osteitis

Background: Dry socket also termed as alveolar osteitis is a post-extraction complication encountered more frequently. The socket exhibits exposed bone and lacks blood clot. The patient with dry socket complains of severe pain after 24–72 h of extraction. Various risk factors such as smoking, surgical trauma, age, sex, medical condition, and radiotherapy are involved in the pathogenesis of dry socket. Primary aim of treatment includes relief of pain. Aim: The aim of the study was to review the occurrence of post-extraction dry socket, its etiopathogenesis, predisposing factors, preventive method, and treatment options for dry socket. Conclusion: Dry socket is the common complication encountered after the extraction of 3rd molars and causes severe pain. With the known risk factors, preventive measures the occurrence of dry socket can be avoided. Treatment includes palliative care such as irrigation, debridement, curettage, and packing the socket with eugenol to relief pain. New agents such as plasma rich in growth factors and GECB can also be used. Clinical Significance: In the routine daily scenario, dry socket can be encountered in any surgical or non-surgical extraction cases. To avoid the occurrence of dry socket, proper knowledge about its cause, the clinical symptoms of dry socket, preventive measures, and the precautionary steps to be taken should be known. One must also be aware of the treatment to be done when the patient comes up with dry socket