title: The role of temperature in the action of mepivacaine.
abstract: The role of temperature in the action of local anesthetics was studied in 20 healthy young volunteers with plain 3% mepivacaine injected periapically twice in their maxillary first premolar, the first time with the solution at a temperature of 20 degrees C and the second time at 4 degrees C. The pulpal response was measured with a pulp tester every minute. The onset of pulp anesthesia was found to be of no statistical difference between 20 degrees C and 4 degrees C. On the other hand, mepivacaine at a temperature of 4 degrees C was found to have a statistically significant longer duration of action. Our conclusion is that the drop in temperature of mepivacaine from 20 degrees C to 4 degrees C provides a longer duration of pulpal anesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Implantology and Roentgenology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. nikosd@dent.auth.gr
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dabarakis
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsirlis
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parisis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsoukalas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000187:drug effects; D003791:Dental Pulp Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008619:Mepivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008619:Mepivacaine