Clinical effectiveness of 1 and 2% lidocaine in young pediatric dental patients

Clinical effectiveness of the double-blind administration of 1 and 2% lidocaine solutions was evaluated for restorative and surgical procedures on primary molars of children 4.5 to 10.5 years old. This effectiveness was measured by changes in the child's heart rate, the child's self report of pain, and the operator's assessment of the anesthesia's effectiveness. Although the incidence of anesthetic failure was higher for the 1% solution (31.3%) than for the 2% solution (11.1%), no statistically significant difference between the solutions was found. During the performance of pulpotomies and extractions, a higher failure rate was recorded for the 1% solution (62.5%) than for the 2% solution (28.6%), but these differences were not statistically significant. For minor restorative procedures, the 1% solution was equally successful in achieving anesthesia. The results suggested that 1% lidocaine should be used when multiple minor procedures are performed and potential toxicity in the young dental patient is a concern.