# 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

## TL;DR

This study compares two dosing regimens of Augmentin for treating dental abscesses and finds that the 500/125 mg three times a day regimen is more effective in reducing inflammation.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the relative efficacy of different Augmentin dosing regimens for acute apical abscesses.

## Key findings

- All patients showed reduced inflammatory markers after 72 hours of antibiotic therapy.
- The 500/125 mg tid regimen led to a statistically significant greater decrease in white blood cells and neutrophils.
- The 500/125 mg tid regimen was more effective than the 875/125 mg bid regimen in reducing inflammation.

## Abstract

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.