Evaluation of the Anesthetic Efficacy and Pain Control of Buffered 4% Articaine in Mandibular Molar Tooth Preparation
Year 2025,
Volume: 26 Issue: 3, 356 - 362, 22.09.2025
Goknil Alkan Demetoğlu
,
Hüseyin Şeker
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate whether buccal infiltration anesthesia with sodium bicarbonate-buffered articaine provides comparable or superior anesthetic efficacy to traditional inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in mandibular molar tooth preparations, while minimizing complications and enhancing patient comfort.
Materials and Methods
A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 75 healthy adult participants requiring mandibular molar prosthetic treatment. Patients were randomly assigned to three groups:
• Group M: IANB with 4% articaine + 1:100,000 epinephrine
• Group I: Buccal infiltration with the same articaine formulation
• Group SB: Buffered buccal infiltration (2% articaine + 0.84% sodium bicarbonate + 1:200,000 epinephrine)
Pain was measured using Visual Analog Scale (VAS1: during treatment, VAS2: next day), and heart rate was monitored before and during the procedure.
Results
VAS1 scores were significantly higher in Group I (p < .001), indicating more pain during treatment. Group SB had significantly lower VAS2 scores, reflecting reduced postoperative discomfort. No significant differences in heart rate were found across groups.
Conclusion
Buffered articaine with sodium bicarbonate used for buccal infiltration in mandibular molars showed anesthetic efficacy comparable to IANB, with less pain and fewer complications. This approach may serve as a safer and more comfortable alternative to nerve block anesthesia in routine prosthetic procedures.
References
-
1-Ogle OE, Mahjoubi G. Local anesthesia: agents, techniques, and complications. Dent Clin North Am. 2012 Jan;56(1):133-48, ix.
-
2-Shahidi Bonjar AH. Syringe micro vibrator (SMV) a new device being introduced in dentistry to alleviate pain and anxiety of intraoral injections, and a comparative study with a similar device. Ann Surg Innov Res 2011;5:1.
-
3-Abou Agwa T, Sakka S, Al-Jundi A, Gazal G. Effect of adding sodium bicarbonate 8.4% to local anesthesia on pain during upper canine infiltration. Saudi J Anaesth. 2024 Oct Dec;18(4):504-508.
-
4- Becker DE, Reed KL. Local anesthetics: Review of pharmacological considerations. Anesth Prog 2012;59:90‑101.
-
5-Davies RJ. Buffering the pain of local anaesthetics: a systematic review. Emerg Med (Fremantle). 2003;15(1): 81-88.
-
6-Guo J, Yin K, Roges R, Enciso R. Efficacy of sodium bicarbonate buffered versus non-buffered lidocaine with epinephrine in inferior alveolar nerve block: a metaanalysis. J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2018;18:129-142.
-
7-Subburu, Nandini, Sama Venkata Naga Mounika, and Lakshmi Manasa Pappu. "Efficacy of 7.5% Sodium Bicarbonate Buffered 2% Lidocaine with 1: 80,000 Epinephrine in Exodontia." Sch J Dent Sci 4 (2023): 54-59.
-
8- Manta, K., Dabarakis, N., Lillis, T., & Fotopoulos, I. (2023). Anesthetic efficacy of buffered 4% articaine for mandibular first molar infiltration: A crossover clinical trial. Journal of dental anesthesia and pain medicine, 23(3), 135.
-
9-Almadhoon HW, Abuiriban RW, Almassri H. Efficacy of 4% articaine buccal infiltration versus inferior alveolar nerve block for mandibular molars with sympromatic irreversible pulpitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Evid Based Dent Pract 2022; 22: 101712.
-
10- Miglani S, Ansari I, Patro S, Mohanty A, Mansoori S, Ahuja B, et al. Efficacy of 4% articaine vs 2% lidocaine in mandibular and maxillary block and infiltration anaesthesia in patients with irreversible pulpitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ 2021; 9: e12214.
-
11- Dhake P, Nagpal D, Chaudhari P, Lamba G, Hotwani K, Singh P. Buffered articaine: infiltration for primary molar extractions: a randomized controlled study. J Dent Anesth Pain Med 2022; 22: 387-94.
-
12- Amorim KS, Fontes VTS, Gercina AC, Groppo FC, Souza LM. Buffered 2% articaine versus non-buffered 4% articaine in maxillary infiltration: randomized clinical trial.Clin Oral Investig 2021; 25: 3527-33.
-
13- Gupta S, Kumar A, Sharma AK, Purohit J, Narula JS. “Sodium bicarbonate”: An adjunct to painless palatal anesthesia. Oral Maxillofac Surg 2018;22:451 5.
-
14- Bignon A. On the anaesthetic properties of cocaine. Bull Gen Ther Med Chirurg Obstet Pharma 1892;122:170 2.
-
15- Gorrela H, Srujana T, Arthi S. Buffered versus Non-buffered Local Anaesthesia in Minor Oral Surgery - A Comparative Study. Ann Maxillofac Surg. 2024 Jan-Jun;14(1):15-20.
-
16- Arora G, Degala S, Dasukil S. Efficacy of buffered local anaesthetics in head and neck infections. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2019;57:857 60.
-
17- Christoph RA, Buchanan L, Begalla K, Schwartz S. Pain reduction in local anesthetic administration through pH buffering. Ann Emerg Med 1988;17:117 20.
-
18- Bunke J, Sheikh R, Hult J, Malmsjö M. Buffered local anesthetics reduce injection pain and provide anesthesia for up to 5 hours. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2018;71:1216 30.
-
19- Senthoor P, Janani K, Ravindran C. A prospective, randomized double blinded study to evaluate the efficacy of buffered local anesthetics in infected and inflamed pulp and periapical tissues. J Maxillofac Oral Surg 2020;19:246 50.
-
20- Saber SE, Abu El Sadat S, Taha A, Nawar NN, Abdel Azim A. Anatomical Analysis of Mandibular Posterior Teeth using CBCT: An Endo-Surgical Perspective. Eur Endod J. 2021 Dec;6(3):264-270.
-
21- Kattan S, Lee SM, Hersh EV, Karabucak B. Do buffered local anesthetics provide more successful anesthesia than nonbuffered solutions in patients with pulpally involved teeth requiring dental therapy?: A systematic review. J Am Dent Assoc. 2019 Mar;150(3):165-177.
-
22- Saatchi M, Khademi A, Baghaei B, Noormohammadi H. Effect of sodium bicarbonate-buffered lidocaine on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block for teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a prospective, randomized double-blind study. J Endod. 2015 Jan;41(1):33-5.
-
23- Saatchi M, Farhad AR, Shenasa N, Haghighi SK. Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate Buccal Infiltration on the Success of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block in Mandibular First Molars with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: A Prospective, Randomized Double-blind Study. J Endod. 2016 Oct;42(10):1458-61.
-
24- Shurtz R, Nusstein J, Reader A, Drum M, Fowler S, Beck M. Buffered 4% Articaine as a Primary Buccal Infiltration of the Mandibular First Molar: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind Study. J Endod. 2015 Sep;41(9):1403-7.
-
25- Whitcomb M, Drum M, Reader A, et. al. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study of the anesthetic efficacy of sodium bicarbonate buffered 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine in inferior alveolar nerve blocks. Anesth Prog 2010; 57: pp. 59-66.
-
26- Al-Sultan AF, Fathie WK, Hamid RS. A clinical evaluation on the alkalization of local anesthetic solution in periapical surgery. Al-Rafidain Dent J 2006; 6: pp. 71-77.
-
27- Yadav K, Sofat A, Gambhir RS, Galhotra V. Dentin hypersensitivity following tooth preparation: A clinical study in the spectrum of gender. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2014 Jan;5(1):21-4.
-
28- Moore R, Brødsgaard I, Mao TK, Miller ML, Dworkin SF. Perceived need for local anesthesia in tooth drilling among Anglo-Americans, Chinese, and Scandinavians. Anesth Prog. 1998 Winter;45(1):22-8. PMID: 9790006; PMCID: PMC2148943.
-
29- Dayoub EJ, Jena AB. Does Pain Lead to Tachycardia? Revisiting the Association Between Self-reported Pain and Heart Rate in a National Sample of Urgent Emergency Department Visits. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015 Aug;90(8):1165-6.
-
30- Tousignant-Laflamme Y, Rainville P, Marchand S. Establishing a link between heart rate and pain in healthy subjects: a gender effect. J Pain. 2005 Jun;6(6):341-7.
-
31-Donaldson GW, Chapman CR, Nakamura Y, Bradshaw DH, Jacobson RC, Chapman CN. Pain and the defense response: structural equation modeling reveals a coordinated psychophysiologi-cal response to increasing painful stimulation. Pain. 2003;102(1–2):97–108.
Mandibular Molar Diş Preperasyonunda Tamponlanmış %4 Artikaine'in Anestezik Etkinliği ve Ağrı Kontrolünün Değerlendirilmesi
Year 2025,
Volume: 26 Issue: 3, 356 - 362, 22.09.2025
Goknil Alkan Demetoğlu
,
Hüseyin Şeker
Abstract
Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, sodyum bikarbonat ile tamponlanmış artikain ile yapılan bukkal infiltrasyon anestezisinin, mandibular molar diş kesiminde geleneksel inferior alveolar sinir bloğuna (IANB) karşı etkinliğini ve hasta konforunu değerlendirmektir.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Alt çene molar dişlerinde protetik tedavi gereken 75 sağlıklı erişkin birey rastgele üç gruba ayrıldı:
Grup M: 4% artikain + 1:100,000 epinefrin ile IANB
Grup I: Aynı içerikle bukkal infiltrasyon
Grup SB: Tamponlanmış bukkal infiltrasyon (2% artikain + %0.84 sodyum bikarbonat + 1:200,000 epinefrin)
Ağrı düzeyleri Görsel Analog Skala (VAS) ile ölçüldü (VAS1: işlem sırasında, VAS2: ertesi gün) ve işlem öncesi/sonrası nabız değerleri kaydedildi.
Bulgular: VAS1 skorları en yüksek Grup I’deydi (p < .001). VAS2 skorları en düşük Grup SB’de bulundu (p < .05). Gruplar arasında nabız değişiminde anlamlı fark saptanmadı.
Sonuç: Sodyum bikarbonatla tamponlanmış artikain kullanımı, mandibular molarlarda uygulanan bukkal infiltrasyon anestezisinde IANB ile benzer etkinlik gösterdi. Daha az ağrı ve komplikasyon ile bu yöntem, rutin protetik işlemler için etkili ve konforlu bir alternatif olabilir.
References
-
1-Ogle OE, Mahjoubi G. Local anesthesia: agents, techniques, and complications. Dent Clin North Am. 2012 Jan;56(1):133-48, ix.
-
2-Shahidi Bonjar AH. Syringe micro vibrator (SMV) a new device being introduced in dentistry to alleviate pain and anxiety of intraoral injections, and a comparative study with a similar device. Ann Surg Innov Res 2011;5:1.
-
3-Abou Agwa T, Sakka S, Al-Jundi A, Gazal G. Effect of adding sodium bicarbonate 8.4% to local anesthesia on pain during upper canine infiltration. Saudi J Anaesth. 2024 Oct Dec;18(4):504-508.
-
4- Becker DE, Reed KL. Local anesthetics: Review of pharmacological considerations. Anesth Prog 2012;59:90‑101.
-
5-Davies RJ. Buffering the pain of local anaesthetics: a systematic review. Emerg Med (Fremantle). 2003;15(1): 81-88.
-
6-Guo J, Yin K, Roges R, Enciso R. Efficacy of sodium bicarbonate buffered versus non-buffered lidocaine with epinephrine in inferior alveolar nerve block: a metaanalysis. J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2018;18:129-142.
-
7-Subburu, Nandini, Sama Venkata Naga Mounika, and Lakshmi Manasa Pappu. "Efficacy of 7.5% Sodium Bicarbonate Buffered 2% Lidocaine with 1: 80,000 Epinephrine in Exodontia." Sch J Dent Sci 4 (2023): 54-59.
-
8- Manta, K., Dabarakis, N., Lillis, T., & Fotopoulos, I. (2023). Anesthetic efficacy of buffered 4% articaine for mandibular first molar infiltration: A crossover clinical trial. Journal of dental anesthesia and pain medicine, 23(3), 135.
-
9-Almadhoon HW, Abuiriban RW, Almassri H. Efficacy of 4% articaine buccal infiltration versus inferior alveolar nerve block for mandibular molars with sympromatic irreversible pulpitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Evid Based Dent Pract 2022; 22: 101712.
-
10- Miglani S, Ansari I, Patro S, Mohanty A, Mansoori S, Ahuja B, et al. Efficacy of 4% articaine vs 2% lidocaine in mandibular and maxillary block and infiltration anaesthesia in patients with irreversible pulpitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ 2021; 9: e12214.
-
11- Dhake P, Nagpal D, Chaudhari P, Lamba G, Hotwani K, Singh P. Buffered articaine: infiltration for primary molar extractions: a randomized controlled study. J Dent Anesth Pain Med 2022; 22: 387-94.
-
12- Amorim KS, Fontes VTS, Gercina AC, Groppo FC, Souza LM. Buffered 2% articaine versus non-buffered 4% articaine in maxillary infiltration: randomized clinical trial.Clin Oral Investig 2021; 25: 3527-33.
-
13- Gupta S, Kumar A, Sharma AK, Purohit J, Narula JS. “Sodium bicarbonate”: An adjunct to painless palatal anesthesia. Oral Maxillofac Surg 2018;22:451 5.
-
14- Bignon A. On the anaesthetic properties of cocaine. Bull Gen Ther Med Chirurg Obstet Pharma 1892;122:170 2.
-
15- Gorrela H, Srujana T, Arthi S. Buffered versus Non-buffered Local Anaesthesia in Minor Oral Surgery - A Comparative Study. Ann Maxillofac Surg. 2024 Jan-Jun;14(1):15-20.
-
16- Arora G, Degala S, Dasukil S. Efficacy of buffered local anaesthetics in head and neck infections. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2019;57:857 60.
-
17- Christoph RA, Buchanan L, Begalla K, Schwartz S. Pain reduction in local anesthetic administration through pH buffering. Ann Emerg Med 1988;17:117 20.
-
18- Bunke J, Sheikh R, Hult J, Malmsjö M. Buffered local anesthetics reduce injection pain and provide anesthesia for up to 5 hours. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2018;71:1216 30.
-
19- Senthoor P, Janani K, Ravindran C. A prospective, randomized double blinded study to evaluate the efficacy of buffered local anesthetics in infected and inflamed pulp and periapical tissues. J Maxillofac Oral Surg 2020;19:246 50.
-
20- Saber SE, Abu El Sadat S, Taha A, Nawar NN, Abdel Azim A. Anatomical Analysis of Mandibular Posterior Teeth using CBCT: An Endo-Surgical Perspective. Eur Endod J. 2021 Dec;6(3):264-270.
-
21- Kattan S, Lee SM, Hersh EV, Karabucak B. Do buffered local anesthetics provide more successful anesthesia than nonbuffered solutions in patients with pulpally involved teeth requiring dental therapy?: A systematic review. J Am Dent Assoc. 2019 Mar;150(3):165-177.
-
22- Saatchi M, Khademi A, Baghaei B, Noormohammadi H. Effect of sodium bicarbonate-buffered lidocaine on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block for teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: a prospective, randomized double-blind study. J Endod. 2015 Jan;41(1):33-5.
-
23- Saatchi M, Farhad AR, Shenasa N, Haghighi SK. Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate Buccal Infiltration on the Success of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block in Mandibular First Molars with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: A Prospective, Randomized Double-blind Study. J Endod. 2016 Oct;42(10):1458-61.
-
24- Shurtz R, Nusstein J, Reader A, Drum M, Fowler S, Beck M. Buffered 4% Articaine as a Primary Buccal Infiltration of the Mandibular First Molar: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind Study. J Endod. 2015 Sep;41(9):1403-7.
-
25- Whitcomb M, Drum M, Reader A, et. al. A prospective, randomized, double-blind study of the anesthetic efficacy of sodium bicarbonate buffered 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine in inferior alveolar nerve blocks. Anesth Prog 2010; 57: pp. 59-66.
-
26- Al-Sultan AF, Fathie WK, Hamid RS. A clinical evaluation on the alkalization of local anesthetic solution in periapical surgery. Al-Rafidain Dent J 2006; 6: pp. 71-77.
-
27- Yadav K, Sofat A, Gambhir RS, Galhotra V. Dentin hypersensitivity following tooth preparation: A clinical study in the spectrum of gender. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2014 Jan;5(1):21-4.
-
28- Moore R, Brødsgaard I, Mao TK, Miller ML, Dworkin SF. Perceived need for local anesthesia in tooth drilling among Anglo-Americans, Chinese, and Scandinavians. Anesth Prog. 1998 Winter;45(1):22-8. PMID: 9790006; PMCID: PMC2148943.
-
29- Dayoub EJ, Jena AB. Does Pain Lead to Tachycardia? Revisiting the Association Between Self-reported Pain and Heart Rate in a National Sample of Urgent Emergency Department Visits. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015 Aug;90(8):1165-6.
-
30- Tousignant-Laflamme Y, Rainville P, Marchand S. Establishing a link between heart rate and pain in healthy subjects: a gender effect. J Pain. 2005 Jun;6(6):341-7.
-
31-Donaldson GW, Chapman CR, Nakamura Y, Bradshaw DH, Jacobson RC, Chapman CN. Pain and the defense response: structural equation modeling reveals a coordinated psychophysiologi-cal response to increasing painful stimulation. Pain. 2003;102(1–2):97–108.