How likely am I to get dry socket after bone graft?

[scaredandpoor]

Hello, first time posting. Backstory: my back left molar (tooth 18 I think?) broke last year but I wasn't in any position to get it addressed (I'm in the US). It hurt on and off for a few months but eventually the pain went away until last month.

I finally bucked up and saw a dentist February 9 where they gave me antibiotics for the infection and an appointment for an extraction and bone graft on February 24, which was then pushed back to March 10. I've been absolutely terrified since of any complications as I have a planned vacation the last week of March and I'm desperate to be 100% by then.

How likely am I to get dry socket after the bone graft? I read that women on oral birth control pills are at a much higher likelihood for dry socket, which I'm currently on, but I also read that bone grafts can lower the risk of dry socket so what is my true risk? I also have a history of elevated blood pressure that I'm scared will cause complications.

My procedure is in 4 days and I just need my mind to be put at ease. I'm afraid of asking too many questions of the dentist before my procedure. My last visit to get this checked out was confusing and the people in the office weren't very good at communicating. Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

 

[Gordon]

1) The risk factors for dry socket in order are: smoking>previous dry socket>difficult extraction>lower jaw>female>everything else. But smoking is by several orders of magnitude the biggie. If you don't smoke it's a pretty rare complication
2) Stiching up the socket to hold in the graft will reduce the risk further
3) Most dry sockets are cleared up inside a week, even if you get one it won't affect your holiday