Thanks — I looked closely at the photo. I can’t give a definitive medical diagnosis from a single photo, but I’ll walk you through what I can see, the differences between normal healing / dry socket / infection, what to watch for, typical timelines, what the dentist will do, how things can get worse if left, and immediate self-care + next steps.

Quick visual impression (from the photo)

• The socket shows a dark area in the extraction site — that can be a blood clot or residual blood/debris.

• I don’t clearly see obvious pus or gross swelling in this photograph, but the image is limited (lighting, angle, saliva and soft-tissue can hide signs).

• Because the extraction was just yesterday, it is very early to tell: normal early healing often looks like a dark/blackish clot in the first 24–48 hours.

Key differences (what to expect and what signals dry socket or infection)

• Normal early healing (first 1–3 days)

  • Pain should gradually decrease after the first 24–48 hours (mild–moderate discomfort controlled by OTC pain meds).

  • A dark clot in the socket is normal initially.

• Dry socket (alveolar osteitis)

  • Usually starts 2–4 days after extraction.

  • Classic signs: severe, throbbing pain that radiates to the eye/ear, an empty-looking socket or exposed bone, bad taste/bad breath, pain increases rather than decreases.

  • Often the clot is lost or fails to form properly.

• Infection (post-extraction infection)

  • Signs: increasing swelling, redness, pus or yellow/green discharge, fever, swollen lymph nodes, worsening pain after an initial improvement.

  • Infection can start any time but is more likely to show up a few days after extraction.

Given your history (previous dry sockets)

• A history of previous dry sockets increases your risk. That means you should watch symptoms closely for the next 48–72 hours.

Immediate self-care (what to do now)

1. Do not aggressively rinse, spit, or use a straw for the first 24 hours. After 24 hours, gently rinse with warm salt water (½ teaspoon salt in 240 mL/8 oz warm water) 3–4× daily — gently, don’t force water into the socket.

2. Avoid smoking, vaping, or heavy physical exertion — these dislodge clots.

3. Cold compress for the first 24 hours (10–15 minutes on, 10–15 off) to reduce swelling/pain if present.

4. Pain control: ibuprofen (if you can take it) 400–600 mg every 6–8 hours as needed (follow label / healthcare advice); alternating with acetaminophen is common if needed.

5. Keep oral hygiene: brush other teeth gently; avoid direct brushing of the socket for a few days.

6. Soft diet; avoid hard/chewy foods that irritate the site.

When to see a dentist or go urgently

• Contact your dentist within 48 hours for evaluation if pain is severe or not controlled with OTC meds, or if you develop bad taste/smell, visible bone, or worsening symptoms.

• Go to emergency / dental urgent care immediately if you have: spreading facial swelling, fever (≥38°C/100.4°F), difficulty breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, or rapidly worsening pain.

What your dentist will likely do

• Clinical exam and possibly a gentle irrigation to remove debris.

• If dry socket is suspected: they will usually clean the socket and place a medicated dressing (analgesic packing such as eugenol-soaked dressing) to reduce pain and protect the socket — re-dressings every few days until healing progresses.

• If there are signs of infection: they may prescribe antibiotics (amoxicillin or similar) and/or drain/clean the socket.

• Advice for follow-up and pain control.

Typical healing timelines

• Clot forms/initial hemostasis: immediate–24 hours.

• Pain peak: often first 24–72 hours; dry socket pain often worse around days 2–4.

• Granulation tissue forms: ~3–7 days. Pain should significantly decrease by day 3–4 with normal healing or with treatment for dry socket.

• Soft tissue closure: often 7–14 days.

• Complete bone remodeling: months.

If everything goes normally, expect substantial improvement in 3–7 days and soft-tissue closure by 10–14 days. If it’s a dry socket and left untreated, pain may persist for a week or more; with treatment pain typically improves within a few days and socket heals within about 7–10 days.

What can scale up (potential complications if untreated)

• Persistent severe pain (reduced quality of life, inability to eat/sleep).

• Spread of infection → cellulitis or abscess (facial swelling, fever, systemic illness) — more serious and requires antibiotics and possibly hospitalization if severe.

• Delayed healing of the socket; in rare cases osteomyelitis (bone infection) if infection spreads — much less common but serious.

• Continued loss of nutrition / dehydration if pain prevents eating.

Practical next steps for you right now

1. Continue gentle salt-water rinses starting 24 hours after extraction.

2. Use recommended analgesics and avoid smoking or anything that disturbs the socket.

3. Call your extracting dentist or visit a clinic within 48–72 hours for a check — especially because you’ve had dry sockets before. Early professional treatment prevents prolonged pain.

4. If you want a local clinic, use your directory: https://cebudentalimplants.com/map-dental-clinic — search for the nearest open clinic and request a post-extraction check.

Final summary

• From the photo alone (extraction yesterday) it most likely looks like a normal early clot — too soon to declare dry socket or infection.

• Because you’ve had dry sockets in the past, be extra cautious and get an in-person check within 48–72 hours or sooner if pain worsens, foul taste develops, or you get fever/swelling.

• If dry socket does develop (usually 2–4 days after extraction), your dentist can treat it quickly with a medicated dressing and you should feel better in a few days.

If you want, tell me: what tooth was taken out (upper/lower, wisdom or molar?), whether you’re smoking, and what pain level you have now (0–10) and if you have fever — I can tailor the advice a bit more.