Pain after Tooth Extraction

[Giles]

I had a tooth removed by my dentist a few days ago. I did not have any pain initially after the extraction but about two/three days after the extraction, a severe pain began which is so severe I am unable to sleep at night. I have taken many pain killers but they have not really helped much.

Can you tell me if there is anything that can be done to stop this pain as I am in a lot of pain.

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

Thank you for your post.

Pain that starts ~3 days after extraction is usually due to dry socket. Dry socket pain is due to irritation of the bone open to the oral cavity after the loss of or premature disintegration of the blood clot within the extraction socket.

Dry socket pain is very painful indeed and the solution for dry socket is placement of a sedative dressing into the socket which soothes the inflammed bone and reduces the pain of dry socket. You will need to see a dentist for placement of this sedative dressing into the socket.