Microbiological analysis of root canals associated with periapical abscesses (with pain and swelling) and the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolated bacteria

Abstract Objective: The periapical abscess is a collection of pus in the pulp or around the root of teeth. Many odontogenic infections can be managed without antimicrobial therapy or bacteriologic investigation. However, when an acute bacterial infection has progressed or antimicrobial therapy might be of benefit to patients, antibiotics are prescribed. We aimed to identify microorganisms in root canals with periapical abscess and their antimicrobial susceptibility profile in order to revise antimicrobial treatment protocols when antimicrobials are used empirically. Methods: 30 patients (all of whom had pain and swelling) with odontogenic infections were included in this study. The microbiologic investigation was performed under strict aseptic conditions. A standard routine root canal therapy was instituted, and in each case a single root canal was sampled. In multirooted teeth only the largest canal was sampled to preserve the identity of a single endodontic/microbiologic ecosystem. For microbial samplin...