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Virus Therapy

Valacyclovir for Acute Apical Abscess Pain Management

Phase 2
Recruiting
Led By Mike Sabeti, DDS
Research Sponsored by University of California, San Francisco
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Patient must exhibit clinical evidence of pulp necrosis and acute apical abscess
Patient must be ≥ 18-year-old
Must not have
Patients currently taking antibiotics or antiviral medications
External or internal tooth resorption
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 3 years
Awards & highlights
All Individual Drugs Already Approved

Summary

This trial tests a treatment combining an antibiotic (amoxicillin) and an antiviral (valacyclovir) for patients with painful dental abscesses. It targets those who have swelling and cannot quickly get dental procedures. The treatment aims to reduce pain and help heal faster by addressing both bacterial and viral components of the infection. Amoxicillin is a commonly used antibiotic for dental abscesses, often prescribed to manage bacterial infections.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for adults over 18 who are in good health (ASA Class I or II) with a tooth abscess causing moderate to severe pain. They must have signs of apical disease on X-rays, agree to standard dental treatment after the study, and not be pregnant, nursing, smoking heavily, taking certain medications, or allergic to amoxicillin or valacyclovir.
What is being tested?
The study tests if Valacyclovir can manage pain better than a placebo in patients with acute apical abscesses. It's part of a larger research project looking at preoperative and postoperative pain and healing outcomes using CBCT scans before and months after treatment.
What are the potential side effects?
Valacyclovir may cause side effects like headache, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting; rarely more serious issues like kidney problems or blood disorders might occur. Side effects vary from person to person.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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I have a dead tooth nerve and a painful infection at the root.
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I am 18 years old or older.
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I experience moderate to severe pain regularly.
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I am generally healthy with no or mild systemic disease.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
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I am currently on antibiotics or antiviral medications.
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I have tooth decay from inside or on the surface.
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I have gum disease around the edges of my teeth.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~3 years
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 3 years for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Measurement of pain levels following treatment intervention

Awards & Highlights

All Individual Drugs Already Approved
Therapies where all constituent drugs have already been approved are likely to have better-understood side effect profiles.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Group I: valacyclovir groupExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
250 patients presenting with pain and a diagnosis of acute apical abscess will be recruited for the VEII preoperative pain and VEIII postoperative pain and clinical/radiographic healing phases of the clinical trial.
Group II: Control groupPlacebo Group1 Intervention
250 patients presenting with pain and a diagnosis of acute apical abscess will be recruited for the VEII preoperative pain and VEIII postoperative pain and clinical/radiographic healing phases of the clinical trial.

Research Highlights

Information in this section is not a recommendation. We encourage patients to speak with their healthcare team when evaluating any treatment decision.
Mechanism Of Action
Side Effect Profile
Prior Approvals
Other Research
The most common treatments for Acute Apical Abscess include drainage, antibiotics, and sometimes surgical intervention. Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is crucial for providing detailed 3D images, aiding in accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. Antibiotics, such as cobetalactamine, target the bacterial infection causing the abscess. This combination of precise imaging and effective antibiotic therapy ensures accurate diagnosis, targeted treatment, and monitoring of healing, which is vital for improving patient outcomes.
[Use of a new cobetalactamine in the therapy of acute and chronic odontogenic processes].The flare-up phenomenon in endodontics: a clinical perspective and review.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

University of California, San FranciscoLead Sponsor
2,585 Previous Clinical Trials
15,083,939 Total Patients Enrolled
Mike Sabeti, DDSPrincipal InvestigatorUniversity of California, San Francisco
2 Previous Clinical Trials
40 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

Valacyclovir (Virus Therapy) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT05266040 — Phase 2
~100 spots leftby Nov 2025