For dentists, dental hygienists, and patients, local anesthesia is the primary functional means for pain control in dentistry. This webinar is presented in conjunction with Dental Learning™ and Septodont N.A. and summarizes the use of articaine in dentistry.
The performance and clinical effectiveness (efficacy) of local anesthetics in general will be discussed and compared and contrasted with current science and administration of articaine specifically.
The paresthesia debate regarding the potential of a 4% local anesthetic solution to be allegedly more neurotoxic than other currently administered local anesthetic solutions of lesser concentrations is examined.
What is the incidence of rare occurrences of post-operative prolonged numbness or tissue hypersensitivity (paresthesia, dysesthesia) in dentistry? What is the differential diagnosis of possible causes? How are dentists best advised to handle their occurrence acutely? In the longer term? How does one manage a hostile patient?
After completing this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Identify local anesthetics (LAs) available for use in dentistry
- Understand the chemistry and pharmacokinetics of articaine
- Be aware of the data re: efficacy and safety of local anesthetics, and specifically articaine
- Appreciate “what’s new” pertaining to LA use and FDA definitions re: pregnancy and lactation
- Describe the factors influencing paresthesia and dysesthesia
- Navigate how to manage a patient experiencing a paresthesia
