Aim: This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of Articaine 4% 1:100000 epinephrine buffered with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) 8.4% solution versus conventional non-buffered Articaine 4% 1:100000 epinephrine in dental extractions of maxillary premolar teeth in terms of pain on injection, onset of action and duration of anesthesia.
Materials and Methods: Nineteen female patients requiring bilateral extractions of maxillary first premolar teeth for orthodontic treatment were selected from the outpatient clinic of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University. This study was designed as a split mouth method where extraction of bilateral first premolars were carried out over a single visit. One side was infiltrated by conventional Articaine 4% with 1:100000 epinephrine (Control group) and the other side was infiltrated with Articaine 4% with 1:100000 epinephrine freshly buffered with 8.4% NaHCO3 solution in a ratio of 9:1 (Study group).
Results: Non-buffered group showed statistically significant higher pain score, slower onset time and shorter anesthetic duration when compared to the buffered group.
Conclusion: Buffering the local anesthetic solution Articaine 4% 1:100000 epinephrine with 8.4% NaHCO3 in a ratio of 9:1 is a simple procedure resulted in a significant decrease of pain during injection, rapid onset and longer duration of anesthesia when compared to conventional Articaine 4% 1:100000 epinephrine.