title: Anesthetic Efficacy in Irreversible Pulpitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
abstract: Inferior alveolar nerve block has a high failure rate in the treatment of mandibular posterior teeth with irreversible pulpitis. The aim of this study was to compare the anesthetic efficacy of 4% articaine, 2% lidocaine and 2% mepivacaine, all in combination with 1:100,000 epinephrine, in patients with irreversible pulpitis of permanent mandibular molars during a pulpectomy procedure. Sixty-six volunteers from the Emergency Center of the School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, randomly received 3.6 mL of local anesthetic as a conventional inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB). The subjective signal of lip numbness, pulpal anesthesia and absence of pain during the pulpectomy procedure were evaluated respectively, by questioning the patient, stimulation using an electric pulp tester and a verbal analogue scale. All patients reported the subjective signal of lip numbness. Regarding pulpal anesthesia success as measured with the pulp tester, the success rate was respectively 68.2% for mepivacaine, 63.6% for articaine and 63.6% for lidocaine. Regarding patients who reported no pain or mild pain during the pulpectomy, the success rate was, respectively 72.7% for mepivacaine, 63.6% for articaine and 54.5% for lidocaine. These differences were not statistically significant. Neither of the solutions resulted in 100% anesthetic success in patients with irreversible pulpitis of mandibular molars.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Sciences, UNIP - Universidade Paulista, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Allegretti
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Dental School, USP - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberta M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, UNINOVE - Universidade Nove de Julho, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anna C R T
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Horliana
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Sciences, UNIP - Universidade Paulista, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paschoal L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Armonia
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Dental School, USP - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodney G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Dental School, USP - Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Isabel Peixoto
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Tortamano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011671:Pulpitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics