Current Treatment Methods for Dry Socket (Alveolar Osteitis) — Literature Review

Alveolar osteitis (AO), also known as post-extraction alveolitis, is one of the most frequently encountered complications following tooth extraction. Its etiology is multifactorial. Dry socket is common name for this complication. It may result from the failure to form a blood clot, its disintegration, or loss. The sharp pain is the main symptom of this condition. It can significantly reduce the patient’s quality of life. Sometimes, in an effort to help the patient, doctors resort to systemic antibiotics. In strictly defined cases, especially in immunocompromised individuals, the preventive use of antibiotics before and after the procedure appears to be justified. However, such management during routine extractions in patients with a properly functioning immune system is considered a medical error. Experts emphasize that antibiotics are often overused and misused in dentistry. It must be acknowledged that dentists share responsibility for the rapidly growing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.