Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Prevention of Dry Socket in Mandibular Third Molar Extraction Compared to Conventional Therapy

Sana  Somair; Shafi Ullah  Khan; Adnan  Babar; Syed Junaid Hussain  Bukhari; Sameen  Naveed; Hamza  Asif

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v75i6.13477

Authors

Sana Somair Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi Pakistan
Shafi Ullah Khan Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi Pakistan
Adnan Babar Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi Pakistan
Syed Junaid Hussain Bukhari Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi Pakistan
Sameen Naveed Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi Pakistan
Hamza Asif Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v75i6.13477

Keywords:

Drug Therapy, Dry Socket, Oral Surgical Procedures, Postoperative Complications

Abstract

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of a single preoperative oral dose of Amoxicillin and Metronidazole to conventional therapy for the prevention of dry socket.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Tertiary Care Dental Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Mar to Aug 2024.

Methodology: A sample size of 225 patients, requiring surgical extraction for removal of mesioangularly impacted mandibular third molar was selected. Patients were distributed into three Groups: Group 1 received a single oral dose of Amoxicillin one hour prior to surgery, Group 2 received a single oral dose of Metronidazole one hour before surgery, and Group 3 patients received a 5-day antibiotic course post-surgery. Dry socket frequency was recorded on the 4th postoperative day.

Results: Four (5.8%) out of the 17(7.56%) patients who reported having dry socket were in the Amoxicillin Group, 3(6.3%) were in the Metronidazole Group, and 10(14.5%) were in the conventional therapy Group. Patients in all three Groups did not significantly differ in the frequency of presence of dry socket (p=0.162). Regarding differences in age, gender, and the reason for extraction, the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05) between the Groups receiving Amoxicillin, Metronidazole, and conventional therapy.

Conclusion: The study indicated no protective effect of giving single oral dose of Amoxicillin or Metronidazole before the surgery compared to conventional therapy in preventing dry socket postoperatively. Nevertheless, dry socket presence was lesser in Groups receiving preoperative antibiotics compared to conventional therapy Group.

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