Diagnosis

Severe pain following a tooth extraction is often enough for your dentist or oral surgeon to suspect dry socket. He or she will also ask about any other symptoms and examine your mouth to see if you have a blood clot in your tooth socket and whether you have exposed bone.

You may need to have X-rays taken of your mouth and teeth to rule out other conditions, such as a bone infection (osteomyelitis) or small fragments of root or bone remaining in the wound after surgery.