title: Anaesthesia Techniques for Maxillary Molars - A Questionnaire-Based Retrospective Field Survey of Dentist in Western India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinicians use various anaesthesia techniques like Posterior Superior Alveolar (PSA) nerve block, buccal infiltration with or without supplemental anaesthesia like palatal and intraligamentary infiltrations for root canal treatment in maxillary molars. However there is no general consensus regarding which technique is enough for performing endodontic treatment in maxillary molars.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this questionnaire-based survey is to compare and evaluate the various techniques used to anaesthetize the maxillary molars and its effect on postoperative pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were obtained from 290 dental practitioners using a specially prepared questionnaire survey conducted anonymously. The questionnaire contained questions covering data such as years in dentistry, acquired specialty, techniques used for anaesthetizing maxillary molars, success of anaesthesia, and postoperative pain, etc.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Buccal infilteration with supplemental anaesthesia in the form of palatal (82%) and intra-ligamentary infilteration (88%) show higher success rate compared to only buccal infilteration (69%). However, intra-ligamentary infilteration group showed highest rate (75%) of postoperative pain. General practitioners (62% of clinicians) prefer to give both buccal and palatal infilterations and specialists opt for only buccal infilteration (66-74% of specialists).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only buccal infilteration is sufficient during root canal treatment of maxillary molars. Routine use of supplemental anaesthesia in the form of palatal and intra-ligamentary infilteration is not necessary unless patient experiences discomfort during endodontic treatment. However, intra-ligamentary infilteration may lead to postoperative discomfort in the form of pain.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, SDCH Pune, India .
authors.forename: Ganesh Ranganath
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Jadhav
authors.affiliation: Senior Resident, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences , New Delhi, India .
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mittal
keywords: Buccal infiltration; Intraligamentary infiltration; Palatal infiltration; Posterior superior alveolar (PSA) nerve block; Supplemental anaesthesia