Effects of local anesthetics on pulpal blood flow in dogs

Effects of 2% lidocaine with epinephrine (1:100,000) administered by the various local anesthetic techniques--i.e., infiltration, mandibular block, and intraseptal injection--on pulpal blood flow in dogs were determined using the 15 microns radioisotope-labeled microsphere injection method. The pulpal blood flow decreased significantly with all three techniques; however, the most drastic reduction occurred in the molar teeth with the intraseptal injection. When 2% lidocaine without epinephrine was used in the intraseptal injection, pulpal blood flow increased significantly.