Effectiveness of Antimicrobial Therapy after Extraction of Impacted Mandibular Third Molar: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Aim:The present study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy following extraction of an impacted mandibular third molar. Materials and methods:This randomized controlled trial was conducted on a total of 60 patients who were randomly assigned into three groups: Group I individuals were given 625 mg of combined amoxicillin and clavulanic acid tablet; 625 mg of combined amoxicillin and clavulanic acid tablet + 400 mg metronidazole tablet was given to group II individuals; whereas group III individuals were assigned no treatment.All the individuals underwent surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars under strict aseptic techniques, with minimal trauma to the surrounding tissues.Mouth opening in millimeters was recorded postoperatively using Vernier calipers on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th days.A 4-point visual analog scale (VAS) was used for assessing postoperative pain.Patient satisfaction was further assessed in a subjective manner using a graded scale from "very satisfied" to "very unsatisfied".