Retrospective Analysis of Alveolar Osteitis (Dry Socket) Cases Over Two Years

Objective: Alveolar osteitis (AO) is a common complication after tooth extraction that negatively affects the quality of life of patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the etiological risk factors, clinical features and treatment management in alveolar osteitis cases. Methods: In this study, 123 cases of patients diagnosed with AO in the oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic over a two-year period were retrospectively examined comprehensively. A previously prepared AO patient follow-up form was used to collect patient data. Results: Among 3278 patients who underwent tooth extraction, 123 cases (47 males, 76 females) diagnosed with AO, aged between 19 and 84 years (mean age: 41.33±12.76 years) were included (AO prevalence: 3.75 %). While 23.6% of the cases had systemic disease, 22.8% were smokers and 8.1% were menstruating or using oral contraceptives. In AO cases, it was observed that the relevant teeth were mostly extracted due to dental caries (53.7%) and most often (56.1%) occurred after mandibular tooth extractions. 59.3% of AO cases occurred after traumatic tooth extraction, and pain (100%), difficulty eating(61.78%), and bad smell/taste (55.28%) were the most common symptoms. While irrigation was performed in 98.37% of the patients, topical alveogel was also applied in 45.5% of the patients. Conclusion: The results of the study confirm the etiological risk factors stated in the literature in AO cases. In this study, successful results were obtained with the combination of irrigation, topical alveogel application and medical treatment in the treatment of AO cases.