Clan J Henry, Leo F A Stassen
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Delayed healing, or failure of the alveolus to heal post exodontia, is not an uncommon finding in both primary care and hospital practice. Local factors dominate and the majority of cases are the result of clot dissolution, secondary infection, foreign bodies, etc. However, potentially life-threatening, malignant lesions complicating healing can be overlooked and underestimated due to their rare occurrence. PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: This article presents a contemporary review of the normal physiological process that directs healing within the extraction socket and a differential diagnosis for delayed healing or failure of healing following extraction, with guidance on appropriate management...
September 2016: Journal of the Irish Dental Association