A painful condition after dental extraction due to loss or disruption of the blood clot is known as what?

• A. Abscess
• B. Dry socket
• C. Osteomyelitis
• D. Granuloma

Answer: (B)

Pain after an extraction that results from the loss or disruption of the protective blood clot is dry socket (alveolar osteitis). When the clot disappears or is dislodged, the socket is left exposed, allowing the bone and nerve endings to irritate, which causes intense, throbbing pain that often starts a day or two after the procedure. You might also notice an empty-looking socket, exposed bone, and sometimes a bad taste or foul odor. This differs from an abscess, which involves infection with pus and swelling; from osteomyelitis, a true bone infection with potential systemic signs; and from a granuloma, which is a chronic inflammatory mass rather than the acute, clot-related pain described here. Treatment aims to relieve pain and protect healing by gently irrigating and cleaning the socket, placing a medicated dressing or dressing soaked with soothing solutions, and providing analgesics, plus recommendations to avoid smoking and maintain gentle oral hygiene to prevent recurrence.