A clinical appraisal of various aetiological factors involved in dry socket (fibrinolytic alveolitis).

Dry socket is a particularly unpleasant sequel complicating the extraction o f teeth. Many authors have studied the mul­ tiple factors incriminated in the pathogenesis o f this condi­ tion hut no study lues to date been conducted in the outpa­ tient clinics of the Oral and Dental Teaching Hospital at the University o f the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Following a pilot study o f 100 individuals, 901 patients attending these clinics requiring the extraction o f permanent teeth were sur­ veyed. Information regarding the patient’s previous dental history was recorded, as well as details o f the operative pro­ cedure undertaken. Those patients returned with diagnosed cases o f dry socket, the diagnosis based on certain predeter­ mined criteria, formed the basis o f this study. A total o f 4,4 per cent o f patients developed dry socket, which was most common in patients in the third and fourth decades. The prevalence in female patients was 6,3 per cent compared to 1,7 per cent in males. The choice o f operative technique as well as the duration o f the procedure affected the prevalence rates o f dry socket. The mandible appeared to be the com­ moner jaw involved and the mandibular third molar the most common tooth. OPSOMMING