Concentrations of cloxacillin, dicloxacillin and flucloxacillin in dental alveolar serum and mandibular bone.

Deep infections caused by staphylococci are serious complications after oral surgery. Intensive antibiotic treatment is always necessary in these infections. Isoxazolylpenicillins are often used. Levels of three isoxazolylpenicillins, namely, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin and flucloxacillin, were measured in serum, dental alveolar serum and mandibular bone in 60 patients undergoing surgical removal of impacted third molars after a single dose of 500 mg. The systemic serum concentrations were higher than the dental alveolar serum concentrations in most patients. The maximum concentration in the alveolar serum was 3.8-6.4 microgram/ml for cloxacillin, 6.0-15.0 microgram/ml for dicloxacillin and 10.0-15.0 microgram/ml for flucloxacillin. The concentration in mandibular bone was 2.0 +/- 0.4 microgram/g for cloxacillin, 2.0 +/- 0.5 microgram/g for dicloxacillin and 2.0 +/- 0.5 microgram/g for flucloxacillin.