Double-Blind Crossover Study to Compare Pain Experience During Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block Administration Using...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dentistry
• Pain Management
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Buffering anesthetic solutions is theorized to decrease injection discomfort and hasten anesthetic effects.
• The inferior alveolar nerve block is a common dental anesthetic technique for children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if buffering lidocaine solutions reduces pain during inferior alveolar nerve block administration in pediatric patients.
• To assess the impact of buffered lidocaine on the onset of anesthesia in children.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind, crossover study involved 30 children aged 6-12 years.
• Patients received standard lidocaine with epinephrine and buffered lidocaine in separate sessions.
• Pain was measured using the Sound, Eye, and Motor (SEM) scale and Heft-Parker Visual Analogue Scale (HP-VAS).
• Anesthesia onset was evaluated via gingival probing.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in pain scores (SEM and HP-VAS) was observed between buffered and non-buffered lidocaine.
• The time to onset of anesthesia also showed no significant difference between the two solutions.
• Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney and Student's t tests.

Conclusions:

• Buffered lidocaine did not provide a significant advantage in reducing injection pain or accelerating anesthetic onset for pediatric inferior alveolar nerve blocks.
• The findings suggest that buffering may not be an effective strategy for improving patient comfort during this specific dental procedure in children.