Influence of local anaesthesia on the quality of class II glass ionomer restorations.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of local anaesthesia on the quality of class II glass ionomer restorations with discomfort as cofactor.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 6- to 7-year-old schoolchildren in Paramaribo and its environs. To be included, each child needed to have a proximally situated cavity in a primary molar that was accessible to hand instruments and where no pulp exposure was expected. They were randomly divided into four treatment groups: conventional method with and without local anaesthesia and atraumatic restorative treatment method (ART) with and without local anaesthesia. The restoration quality was scored using the evaluation criteria for ART restorations (successful if restoration is correct or has a minor defect and fails if defects are larger than 0.5 mm, if secondary caries is observed, if the restoration is fractured, partly or totally lost or if the pulp is involved) at 6 and 30 months after treatment. The extent of discomfort was registered by assessing the behaviour (modified Venham score) and observing the heart rate during treatment.


RESULTS
For this study 153 children were treated with hand instruments (ART) and 146 children with rotary instruments (conventional method). A total of 198 restorations were evaluated during follow-up periods. There were no significant differences in patient discomfort between the ART and the conventional group and between the anaesthesia and the non-anaesthesia group. The conventional restorations demonstrated significantly higher success rates than ART restorations after 6 (P = 0.001) and 30 months (P = 0.032). There were no significant differences in success rate between the anaesthesia and the non-anaesthesia group.


CONCLUSIONS
Local anaesthesia has no influence on discomfort during treatment. Furthermore, discomfort during treatment does not affect the success rate of restorations.
Van de Hoef
Nanda
N
Department of Cariology Endodontology Pedodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands. nvdhoef@hotmail.com
Van Amerongen
Evert
E
D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements