Concentrations of oxytetracycline, tetracycline and doxycycline in mandibular osteitis

Treatment of osteitis in the mandible after surgery is still a clinical problem. Levels of three tetracyclines--doxycycline, oxytetracycline and tetracycline--were measured in serum and dental alveolar serum in 30 patients undergoing oral surgery. The serum concentrations were higher than the dental alveolar serum concentrations in all patients. The maximal concentration in the alveolar serum for doxycycline was between 3.0 and 3.5 mug/ml while the corresponding values for oxytetracycline and tetracycline were between 1.0 and 2.0 mug/ml. When the dental alveolar serum concentrations of the various tetracycline analogues were related to their range of inhibitory concentrations for microorganisms isolated from mandibular osteitis, it was found that each drug reached levels sufficient to inhibit most but not all strains.