Wednesday, 27 February 2013

Alveolar osteitis (dry socket)

Definition: A recently extracted tooth that has been filled initially with a clot, that disintegrated, leaving the socket of bone partially/ completely bare.

Signs and symptoms:
  • Moderate to severe pain (localised to the socket),
  • foul odour or taste (without suppuration),
  • symptoms occuring 3 – 5 days post-exo,
  • absence of swelling/ lymphadenopathy/ bacteraemia,
  • course of pain can last 10 – 40 days
Possible causes:
  • Excessive mechanical trauma during exo,
  • inadequate blood supply to extraction site,
  • pre-existing infection,
  • vasoconstriction effects secondary to LA (especially intraligamental) or to diabetes,
  • loss of blood clot due to mechanical factors,
  • diseased tissue/ foreign bodies remaining in socket,
  • patient's age,
  • smoking, use of oral contraceptives,
  • trauma and inadequate irrigation of extraction site,
  • use of steroids,
  • poor OH and periodontal conditions,
  • pericoronitis
Management: 
  • Confirm radiographically no retained roots/ foreign bodies.
  • Under LA, socket gently irrigated with warm saline to clear out necrotic debris (socket should NOT be curetted to bare bone, because that would expose more bone and increase pain)
  • Socket dried of excess saline.
  • Dressing placed into socket —iodoform gauze / Gelfoam soaked in eugenol should be inserted loosely to cover the wall of the socket.
  • Dressing is changed every 24 hours for the first 2 – 3 days; dressing is changed every 2-3 days thereafter till granulation tissue covers bone.
  • Prescribe analgesics, NSAIDs. Antibiotics rarely indicated.

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