Comparison of effectiveness of metronidazole, chlorhexidine, and lignocaine combination gel with that of zinc oxide eugenol dressing for the treatment of alveolar osteitis

Alveolar osteitis (AO) is the most common complication of dental extractions, especially, the mandibular third molar. Zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) is commonly used as a surgical dressing for the treatment of AO. However, the search for better dressing materials is still underway. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the impact of the intra-alveolar application of Metronidazole (MN), Chlorhexidine (CHX), and Lignocaine (LC) on the treatment of alveolar osteitis and compare it with that of ZOE. A total sample of n=32 patients was randomly assigned into the experimental group treated with MN+CHX+LC combination, while the control group was treated with ZOE paste dressing. Pain, discomfort, and healing were assessed on 3-day and 2-week follow-ups. A statistically significant difference was noted in the number of individuals with pain (p=0.006) and halitosis (p=0.002) on the third day follow-up with higher number of individuals in the control group still experiencing the symptoms. By the end of two weeks, all the patients in the experimental group (n=16) had relief from pain and discomfort while they persisted in n=4 patients and halitosis was noted in n=9 patients treated with ZOE dressing. The experimental combination has a clear advantage as a medicament dressing because of its superior antibacterial and anesthetic properties over ZOE dressings. The combination reduces the time period required for healing the socket in AO, while greatly adding to the patient’s comfort and overall well-being.