Local Anesthetic Performance; Fiction, Fact and Advancements (Precision Buffering)
This presentation will focus on the science and clinical performance of local anesthesia, including recent advancements. A review of the documented studies on the time course for soft tissue analgesia and pulpal analgesia will lend to the discussion on the commonly held beliefs under which many dentists organize their practice day.
The presentation will discuss the role that alkalinization (pH buffering) standard dental anesthetic cartridges immediately before delivering the injection can affect the anesthetic’s performance, the patient experience, and the practice’s schedule. The presentation will describe and demonstrate a novel ex vivo precision cartridge buffering system.
Learning objectives:
- Appreciate the differences between the realities of anesthetic performance and the commonly held beliefs.
- Understand the role that pH and dissolved CO2 play in the practical measures of anesthetic performance (injection pain, latency, profundity).
- Discuss how precision buffered local anesthetic may shift the way a dental professional practices and the patient’s experience with anesthetic during a typical dental visit.