Arthur C. DiMarco, DMD, is director and an affiliate assistant professor in the Regional Initiatives in Dental Education program at the University of Washington School of Dentistry in Spokane. He is also a professor of dental hygiene at Eastern Washington University in Cheney. DiMarco is a coauthor of the textbook Local Anesthesia for Dental Professionals. He can be reached at adimarco@ewu.edu.
Comfort is key to providing compassionate and effective dental care. While advances have been made in the pharmacology of local anesthetic (LA) drugs, buffering improves safety, efficacy, and comfort.
LA drug solutions are acidified…
In addition to the conventional Halsted inferior alveolar nerve block and two well-known alternatives, this discussion will examine key features of other mandibular block techniques and short needle approaches.
Local anesthesia administration is a source of dental phobia, but clinicians willing to retrain their dogma will find learning new skill sets may enhance the patient experience.