The importance of microbiological study in the therapy of odontogenic abscesses. A report of a clinical case

INTRODUCTION: The medical treatment (i.e. antibiotic therapy) of orofacial infections sometimes proves inadequate for the recovery of the patients. Therefore, aside the antibacterial treatment, both incision and drainage are necessary to remove the causal factors. CLINICAL CASE: In our report we show that in case of failure of classic antibacterial therapy, surgical treatment alone does not allow by itself the recovery of the patient if microorganisms developed resistance to antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Recent studies have demonstrated a prevalence of anaerobes in orofacial abscesses. On this basis it appears important that in the analysis of the bacterial flora the handling of samples is carried out in the proper way in order to ensure the isolation of both aerobic and anaerobic species as well as the antibiotic sensitivity.