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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffMake an appointment with your dentist or oral surgeon as soon as possible when you develop new or worsening pain after a tooth extraction.
Some basic questions to ask include:
- What are the likely causes of my pain?
- Do I need any tests?
- What type of treatment will I likely need to improve my symptoms?
- What can I take for the pain?
- How soon will I feel better?
- How long should I wait to eat or drink after this procedure?
- Are there any restrictions I need to follow?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can have? Are there any websites you recommend?
In addition to the questions you've prepared in advance, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment whenever you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you these questions:
- When did the severe pain begin?
- Does the pain happen on its own or do you need to drink or touch the area?
- How would you rate the pain on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most severe?
- Where is the pain located?
- Have you taken pain relievers? What dosage and how often?
- Have the pain relievers helped to some degree?
- Do you have any other symptoms that seem unrelated to your dental pain?
- Have you had a fever?
References
- Neville BW, et al. Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009:120.
- Summers A. Emergency management of alveolar osteitis. Emergency Nurse. 2011;19:28.
- Roberts JR, et al. Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202633129-4/0/2083/0.html#. Accessed May 27, 2013.
- Krakowiak, PA. Alveolar osteitis and osteomyelitis of the jaws. The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America. 2011;23:401.
- Cardoso CL, et al. Clinical concepts of dry socket. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 2010;68:1922.
- Dodson T. Prevention and treatment of dry socket. Evidence-Based Dentistry. 2013;14:13.
- Preparing for third molar removal. NIH Clinical Center. National Institutes of Health. http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/patient_education/tests_procedures.html. Accessed May 27, 2013.
- Daly B, et al. Local interventions for the management of alveolar osteitis (dry socket). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006968.pub2/abstract. Accessed May 27, 2013.
- Fenton DA, et al. Perioperative strategies for third molar surgery. Atlas of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America. 2012;20:25.
- Sheridan PJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 26, 2013.
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