Microbiota of alveolar osteitis after permanent tooth extractions: A systematic review.

Alveolar osteitis (AO) or dry socket after dental extractions is a common postoperative complication characterized by the presence of severe pain associated with an empty socket. Although some authors consider AO to be related to an alteration of the blood clot, the underlying etiology remains unclear, and recent reports suggest that bacteria might play an important role. A systematic review was made, compiling relevant references from PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Scopus and the Web of Science databases to determine which bacteria have been identified in AO sockets after dental extractions.