Injectable local anesthetics interrupt the transmission of nerve impulses between the pain source and the brain by blocking the operation of the sodium potential. Amide injectable local anesthetics for dental use include lidocaine, mepivacaine, articaine, prilocaine and bupivacaine, which differ in terms of rate of onset, duration of action, and maximum recommended dosage. The more closely an anesthetic’s equilibrium pH approximates physiologic pH, the more rapid the onset of action will be, with more acidic solutions demonstrating a slower onset of action. Furthermore, the better the anesthetic molecule binds to the protein in the nerve’s sodium channel, the longer the duration of anesthesia will be.
Because local anesthetics are vasodilators that are absorbed into the circulation, they have systemic effects that are related directly to their blood plasma level. For this reason, local anesthetic cartridges contain a vasopressor in addition to the anesthetic agent. Vasoconstrictors (epinephrine and levonordefrin) counteract the vasodilatory action, slowing removal of the anesthetic from the area of the nerve and, therefore, prolonging its action. Also added is sodium chloride to make the anesthetic solution isotonic with the body tissues.
The injection of local anesthetic is perhaps the greatest source of patient fear and inability to obtain adequate pain control with minimal discomfort remains a significant concern of dental practitioners. While the injection of local anesthetic solutions to achieve anesthesia is one of the most commonly performed dental procedures, getting a...
With the strongest bite force of any of the big cats, a tiger’s jaw could snap off an arm in an instant. When zookeepers at Noah's Ark Zoo near Bristol, England detected a chip in their 440-pound tiger’s canine tooth, they called in Dr. Peter Kertesz, an experienced dental surgeon from London and a specialist in zoo dentistry. We’ve all heard...
Why would you pull your own wisdom tooth? Just for fun, I guess! A dentistry student extracted his own wisdom tooth “because he thought it would be fun to do it himself” and recorded the entire procedure on video. As reported in the Daily Mail, Jesper Ryltoft, a student at Aarhus School of Dentistry in Denmark, warns others not to attempt to...
How does your team communicate during a busy work day? While delivering messages in person may work in a smaller practice, it becomes much more difficult in a larger practice. Just as your front desk manager shouldn’t have to wear running shoes, your clinical staff shouldn’t be interrupted from treating a patient by a knock at the door or the...
There’s a reason why they call it the “digital leap” in dental practice management software. Change can be scary, especially if you don’t have an adequate safety net or support system. But how do you know if that’s actually what you’ll get once you sign up with a new software provider? This is when peer feedback is so crucial to the...
Today’s resin cements demonstrate a number of distinct advantages over other luting agents. Compared to zinc phosphate, glass ionomers and other materials, resin cements possess superior strength, durability and hydrophobia along with improved handling and aesthetics. The result is a longer-lasting, better-looking restoration that can be placed...
