Evaluation of new gingival retraction agents

Current gingival retraction agents are not without undesirable side-effects; there appears to be no ideal gingival retraction agent. Several sympathomimetic amines, capable of producing local vasoconstriction with minimal systemic side-effects, are available as non-prescription nasal decongestants and eye washes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of three of these agents for gingival tissue displacement. Mongrel dogs were used as experimental subjects, in which pulse rate and blood pressure were monitored electronically. Visine (tetrahydrozoline HCl, 0.05%), Afrin (oxymetazoline, 0.05%), and Neosynephrine (phenylephrine HCl, 0.25%) were the commercial products studied as gingival retraction agents. Plain, untreated cord was used as a mechanical control, and as a vehicle for the three experimental agents. Commercially available cords impregnated with both racemic epinephrine (8%) and alum were also used as standard retraction agents with which the test solutions were compared. Visine and Afrin produced tissue displacement greater than that of any of the other agents; Neosynephrine, epinephrine, and alum were more effective than the untreated mechanical control. Cardiovascular changes included a slight increase in systolic pressure in the Neosynephrine group, and a slightly lower mean arterial pressure and pulse rate in all three experimental groups.