Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Topical Airway Anesthesia for Awake-endoscopic Intubation Using the Spray-as-you-go Technique with High Oxygen Flow
Published on: January 13, 2017
Comparison of topical and infiltration anesthesia for orthodontic mini-implant placement
Objective:
To compare the acceptability and effectiveness of topical and infiltration anesthesia for placement of mini-implants used as temporary anchorage devices.
Methods:
The sample comprised 40 patients, 17 males and 23 females, whose mean age was of 26 years and who were all undergoing orthodontic treatment and in need for anchorage reinforcement. Mini-implants were bilaterally placed in the maxilla of all individuals, with infiltration anesthesia on one side and topical anesthesia on the other. These 40 patients completed two questionnaires, one before and another after mini-implant placement, and pain was measured through a visual analog scale (VAS). The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the measurements of pain were compared by means of Mann-Whitney non-parametric test.
Results:
It was found that 60% of patients felt more comfortable with the use of topical anesthesia for mini-implant placement; 72.5% of patients described the presence of pressure during placement of the anchorage device as the most unpleasant sensation of the entire process; 62.5% of patients felt more pain with the use of topical anesthesia.
Conclusion:
It was concluded that patients had less pain with the use of infiltration anesthesia, and also preferred this type of anesthetic.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia
Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia
One of the advantages of...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia

