Choice of antibiotics prescribed following periodontal flap surgery and its influence on healing

Abstract

Background: Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease which affects the periodontium and periodontal flap surgeries
are done to eliminate the resultant pocket formation and induce healing. Post flap surgery, antibiotics may or may not
be prescribed, depending on the situation. Usefulness of postoperative antibiotics on postoperative healing is
inconclusive.
Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of antibiotic usage in patients undergoing flap surgery,
choice of antibiotics and their influence on postoperative healing.
Material and method: The data collection was done with the digital case records of a dental hospital . Data collected
from case records of all flap surgeries from June 2019 to March 2020. Out of the patients with periodontitis, 701
patients who underwent flap surgery were included in the study. The data retrieved included patients details, site of
surgery, the antibiotics prescribed and the post operative healing and complications.
Results: Antibiotics were prescribed for 93.58% of surgeries. The most commonly prescribed antibiotic was
Amoxicillin. Site of surgery and gender did not have any significant influence on the antibiotic usage (p>0.05). No
significant difference was seen in the healing index between flap surgeries done with or without antibiotics prescribed (p>0.05). Postoperative complications were very few and antibiotics usage did not have any significant influence on
the same.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that antibiotics are frequently used postoperatively in flap surgeries but do not have
much influence on healing or postoperative complication.
Clinical significance: This study reports the uselessness of the postoperative antibiotic usage after periodontal flap
surgery.