Intraligamentary anesthesia--a histological study

Intraligamentary dental anesthesia is considered to be an efficient and clinically safe anesthetic technique, and as a result, is widely used. The present study evaluates histologically any possible damage to the periodontal apparatus, in baboon monkeys. The damage induced by the injection needle and/or the anesthetic solution, which was injected under high pressure, was localized, minor and reversible. In most of the specimens, all signs of damage disappeared within 8 days following injection. In others, some granulation tissue was evident in the lamina propria 15 days following injection. However, no bone or cemental damage was observed.