@Frank Sanoica I had a tooth removed a few years ago, a molar, it was unable to be saved. Probably cracked. I had not problems healing. Minor pain, no infection. My understanding is a dry socket is painful. However if you feel something may not be right DO NOT HESITATE to call your dentist. They should be available for follow up. Weekend is approaching though which is a worry.
I used to know what dry socket was but forgot...do know it's not a good thing. Should I ask my daughter?
Talking to my daughter... very painful. You have to go back to the dentist and he has to place packing/ dressing in the socket. You probably didn't follow directions....you dislodged the clot somehow from smoking or drinking thru a straw, etc. not saying that you did, just some reasons my daughter gave. It could also have been a complicated extraction....so maybe not your fault. My daughter says if you don't get in to see the dentist today you can be in for a painful weekend. Typical sign of dry socket is bad pain.
@Chrissy Cross @Kitty Carmel @Don Alaska Thank you all for your concern. Since researching "dry socket", and looking "down the hole" yesterday, today's squint in there revealed something which amazed me. Either the gums on either side are swollen, or gradually growing over the hole, hard to tell which at this point, but the visible bone "seeable" is about 1/2 as wide as yesterday. I am heartened by that, and what I read, which on several MD sites stated treatment is symptomatic only, for pain relief, and healing takes place generally in 7-10 days. The key to diagnosis aside from seeing no clot present, is severe pain 2 to 4 days after the extraction. Today is day 4; the pain is unchanged from the day of the procedure, dull, not constant, and no pain killers taken for 3 days now. BTW, I have never smoked a single thing in my entire life, and took extra care not to expose my mouth cavity to any suction in any way. No clot was visible when I got home from the dentist, right afterward. My thinking is maybe he should have put in 1 or 2 stitches to close the gums, but then, what do I know? Frank
@Frank Sanoica I hope this will heal and be tolerable until it does. My extraction did have dissolving stitches. One of them eventually came up through the gum and I actually thought it was a piece of tooth because it was hard, but it went away so I know it was a stitch. Keep us updated.
@Kitty Carmel I appreciate the kind words. I guess I have been speaking rather harshly today. I know myself to be an obstinate old fool, listening to advice, analyzing it, but often as not, not heeding it as I likely should. And, playing the waiting game, no additional pain, not worried about the approaching weekend, having not called the dentist. Intolerance, insistence, and cantankerous all would fit as my middle name. Frank