Talita Girio Carnaval

Clinical and surgical evaluation of the indication of postoperative antibiotic prescription in third molar surgery.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the need for antibiotic prescription in third molar surgery. STUDY DESIGN A double-blind randomized study was carried out with 71 patients from CODONT (Dentistry Center of the Police of São Paulo). Amoxicillin, clindamycin, or no medication was administered for 7 days immediately after surgery. The participants evaluated the presence of pain, edema, interincisal distance (ID), presence of infection, Pell and Gregory classification, rescue analgesia, osteotomy, and odontosection. RESULTS There was no difference (P < .05) between antibiotics and control over the surgery duration, dose, visual analog scale (VAS), ID, and edema, yet significant differences were seen over time for VAS, edema, and ID. CONCLUSIONS Antibiotic prescription should not be indicated in all clinical conditions, yet it is necessary to correctly evaluate factors such as systemic condition of the patient, skill of the operator, and contamination of the surgical environment.