A survey of local anaesthetic use among general dental practitioners in the UK attending postgraduate courses on pain control

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to identify which local anaesthetic solutions were used by general dental practitioners in the United Kingdom and to determine selection criteria. In addition, differences in anaesthetic choice between recent graduates (≤5 years) and more experienced practitioners were investigated. Material and methods Five hundred and six general dental practitioners attending postgraduate courses on pain control in dentistry completed a questionnaire. Participants were asked to indicate year and place of qualification, anaesthetic solutions available in their surgeries and criteria used in the choice of anaesthetic. In addition, the respondents were asked to indicate choice of local anaesthetic in a number of common medical conditions. Questionnaires were distributed and collected immediately prior to the start of the course presentation and participants were not asked to indicate whether the selection decisions were teaching, experience or evidence based. Data were analysed by using the Chi-square test. Results Lidocaine with epinephrine was the most widely available solution among this group of practitioners (94%), the second most common solution was prilocaine with felypressin (74%). The majority of practitioners had two or more solutions available. Practitioners who qualified within the last five years (14%) were more likely to have articaine available, the most recently introduced local anaesthetic into the UK (p = 0.04, one degree of freedom). Common medical conditions lead to a modification in anaesthetic selection: the use of prilocaine/felypressin increases in the majority of circumstances, although it is avoided in pregnant females by recent graduates. Conclusions Lidocaine/epinephrine continues to be the most common anaesthetic solution used by this group of UK general practitioners. The primary criterion for selection of an anaesthetic agent was perceived efficacy. Prilocaine/felypressin is commonly selected as an alternative solution in the presence of common medical conditions.

A Comparison of Different Volumes of Articaine for Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block for Molar Teeth with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis

“…Lidocaine is the mostly widely used anesthetic agent in dentistry (11,12). Articaine is an anesthetic solution that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in dentistry in the United States in 2000 (13).…”

Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate–buffered Lidocaine on the Success of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block for Teeth with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: A Prospective, Randomized Double-blind Study

“…Lidocaine is the most frequently used local anesthetic (LA), which contains a vasoconstrictor and antioxidant (5). Commercially available lidocaine solutions with epinephrine have a low pH range between 2.9 and 4.4 (6).…”

Comparison of 4% articaine and 0.5% bupivacaine anesthetic efficacy in orthodontic extractions: Prospective, randomized crossover study

“…The available literature indicates that articaine is equally effective when compared with other LAs. 12,13 Articaine is an amide derivative with a thiophene ring in its molecular structure (Fig. 1, Table 1) instead of the usual benzene ring, making it more lipophilic and thus accounting for its faster diffusion properties within tissues and bones, resulting in profound anesthesia and rapid time of anesthetic onset when compared with bupivacaine.…”