The effect of two different local anaesthetic solutions on pain experience following apicectomy

Post-operative pain experience following apicectomy of a single maxillary anterior tooth was compared in two groups of patients having this treatment under local anaesthesia. Twenty patients received 3.6 ml of 2% lignocaine with 1:80,000 adrenaline and 23 patients the same volume of 1.5% etidocaine with 1:200,000 adrenaline, as the local anaesthetic agent. Although soft tissue anaesthesia lasted significantly longer when etidocaine with adrenaline was used, pain experience and analgesic intake did not differ between regimens. Lignocaine with adrenaline produced better operating conditions as haemorrhage control was more effective and the quality of operative anaesthesia was more satisfactory than with etidocaine and adrenaline. The use of etidocaine with adrenaline offered no advantages over lignocaine with adrenaline when administered as infiltration anaesthesia for apical surgery.