Tinidazole or pivampicillin in third molar surgery

Abstract

There is an increasing body of evidence implicating oral anaerobic bacteria in the aetiology of post-surgical dentoalveolar infections. This information has lead to several studies demonstrating the usefulness of specific anaerobicidal drugs in the prevention and treatment of dento-alveolar infection. One such study utilised a single 2 g preoperative oral dose of tinidazole which was found to be significantly better than placebo in preventing infective sequelae after removal of impacted mandibular third molars. The present study was designed to compare a high-dose short-term broad spectrum penicillin, (pivampicillin), with the previously described regimen, using tinidazole in order to discern the existence or otherwise of any practical difference between an anaerobicidal and a broad spectrum antibiotic when local infection was considered.