Assessing the Efficacy of Antibiotic Therapy: A Retrospective Study Comparing 875 mg vs. 500 mg of Amoxicillin/Clavulanic Acid for the Management of Acute Apical Abscesses.

Introduction

Antibiotics are routinely prescribed for odontogenic abscesses in emergency departments and dental offices. Augmentin is recommended for moderate to severe dentofacial infections. It is usually prescribed in two popular regimens, namely twice (bid) or three times (tid) per day. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two different formulations of amoxicillin-clavulanate, 875/125 mg bid versus 500/125 mg tid, for the treatment of acute dental apical abscesses with orofacial involvement.

Methods

Sixty-one patients with acute apical abscesses were prescribed Augmentin in either an 875/125 mg bid or 500/125 mg tid formulation. The patients were tested for inflammatory markers upon admission and again after 72 h.

Results

Although all patients experienced a decrease in inflammatory markers over 72 h of antibiotic therapy, there was a statistically significant greater decrease in white blood cells and neutrophils in the patients receiving the 500/125 mg tid regimen.

Conclusions

A 500/125 mg tid Augmentin regimen results in a greater decline in inflammatory markers than 875/125 mg bid over 72 h in the setting of dentofacial infection.