Moxifloxacin Versus Clindamycin in the Management of Odontogenic Maxillofacial Infectious Processes

Investigators are conducting a trial to compare moxifloxacin against clindamycin for dental infections that spread to the face and jaw. The study will enroll 60 adults who are being treated as outpatients for localized abscesses or cellulitis. Every patient will first receive minor surgical drainage in the clinic. Following drainage, participants are randomly assigned to take either moxifloxacin (400 mg once daily) or clindamycin (300 mg four times daily) for 5 to 7 days. Investigators primary focus is early pain relief. Investigators will measure the drop in pain scores using a 100 mm visual scale at the day 2-3 follow-up visit. Investigators also plan to track how many patients are fully cured by day 5-7, monitor any side effects, and test the infection samples to see exactly which bacteria are present and how participants respond to both drugs.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients aged 18 years and above of either gender presenting to the Outpatient Department of the Nishtar Institute of Dentistry, Department of Maxillofacial Surgery. * Clinical and radiographic diagnosis of an odontogenic maxillofacial infection - gingival inflammatory infiltrate or a localized abscess/cellulitis (ICD-10: K04, K05) - manageable on an outpatient basis with minor office-based surgical drainage (incision/drainage, extraction, or trepanation under local anaesthesia) and adjunctive oral antibiotic therapy, not requiring hospital admission. * Patients providing written informed consent for participation. Exclusion Criteria: * Known hypersensitivity to fluoroquinolones, lincosamides, or cephalosporins. * Pregnant or lactating women. * Patients with diabetes mellitus, known HIV infection, hepatic dysfunction, or renal impairment (creatinine clearance \< 50 mL/min). * Patients with known cardiac arrhythmia, bradycardia, electrolyte imbalance (particularly hypokalaemia), or a history of tendinopathy related to quinolone use. * Patients with signs of a severe or spreading systemic infection (e.g., extensive facial/neck swelling, trismus, dysphagia, or high-grade fever) requiring hospital admission, intravenous antibiotics, or extraoral surgical drainage under general anaesthesia. * Patients who received systemic antibiotic therapy within the preceding 7 days.