[Effect of antibiotic administration on the healing of replanted teeth. Experimental investigation in dogs]

Administration of antibiotics is usually recommended when an avulsed tooth is replanted although: a. no immediate acute infection as a consequence of tooth replantation has been known, b. their administration following tooth replantation has been questioned. The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of antibiotic administration on the healing of replanted teeth. 16 maxillary and mandibular permanent lateral incisors of four dogs aged from 5 to 7 months were immediately replanted without endodontic treatment. Oxytetracycline was administered intramuscularly the day of the experiment and twice daily through the experimental period in two of the dogs (8 teeth). The animals were sacrificed so as to provide observation periods of 15 and 22 days. Results were evaluated histopathologically in haematoxyline eosine stained sections. Results obtained showed shallower resorptine cavities without inflammatory cells in the experimental group (administration of antibiotics) than those found in the control group where inflammatory cells were also present.