How common is it for bone shards to develop post-wisdom tooth removal?

I'm having mine done in a few weeks, and my father had several bone sharps surface after his extraction. It was one of the most painful things he said he ever experienced.

I'm very worried about that and dry sockets.

Are both common? The entire idea is making me nauseous.

I guess I had bone sharps. I couldn't really find any information about it -- I Googled "jagged bone post wisdom tooth extraction" (the only way I could think of to describe it) which led me to a really, really old post here.

Anyway, my oral surgeon warned me that he had to cut through alot of bone to get the lower left wisdom tooth out. A few weeks later, that area felt really sensitive when I was chewing so I felt it with my fingertip, and I could feel a very sharp, jagged bone on the other side of the gum. It became so sensitive that I could barely brush near that tooth. I had to take it very slow and gentle. It even seemed to affect my hearing in my left ear. (I had pressure in my ear and ringing.) I wouldn't say the pain was excruciating, but it was uncomfortable. Over the next few days, two little bitty pieces of bone -- no bigger than bread crumbs -- worked their way out through the gum. And then the pain was gone.

Now it doesn't feel any more jagged than the right side. (The OS had to cut through some bone there too -- very common on the lowers -- but not as much.) I can brush and floss normally without any sensitivity.

Ask your oral surgeon about your concerns. Mine did not mention anything about bone sharps, and because I didn't know what to call it I had trouble locating any information online. I didn't want to go back to the oral surgeon for fear that he would have to cut open the gum, file the bone and stitch it back up. Yuck.

As for dry socket, that was my greatest fear and the whole reason I put off the extractions for so long. I followed the doctor's instructions and did not use a straw for anything, did not rinse or spit for the first 24 hours, and kept my tongue from probing at the surgical sites. (When you have the gauze stuffed in there for the first day, it's a good deterrent for keeping your tongue out of there as well.) Take your pain meds, it will keep you calm.

Good luck, Altari! Talk to your oral surgeon about any and all concerns!