Supraperiosteal infiltration is not effective for teeth surrounded by thick alveolar bone, such as the mandibular teeth and some upper molars of adults.
Indications
A painful dental condition (toothache) or its treatment:
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Fracture (bone, alveolar ridge, or teeth)
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Mild to moderate tooth abscess (only if the abscess is sufficiently small that local infiltration will provide adequate anesthesia; otherwise, a nerve block is used)
Contraindications
Absolute contraindications
Relative contraindications
*Therapeutic anticoagulation (eg, for pulmonary embolism) increases the risk of bleeding with dental procedures, but this must be balanced against the increased risk of thrombosis (eg, stroke) if anticoagulation is reversed. Discuss any contemplated reversal with the clinician managing the patient's anticoagulation and then with the patient.
Complications
Equipment
Equipment to do local anesthesia:
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Topical anesthetic ointment* (eg, lidocaine 5%, benzocaine 20%)
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Injectable local anesthetic such as lidocaine 2% with or without epinephrine† 1:100,000, or for longer duration anesthesia, bupivacaine 0.5% with or without epinephrine† 1:200,000
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Dental aspirating syringe (with narrow barrel and custom injectable anesthetic cartridges) or other narrow barrel syringe (eg, 3 mL) with locking hub
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25- or 27-gauge needle: 2 cm long for supraperiosteal infiltration
* CAUTION: All topical anesthetic preparations are absorbed from mucosal surfaces and toxicity may result when dose limits are exceeded. Ointments are easier to control than less-concentrated topical liquids and gels. Excess benzocaine rarely may cause methemoglobinemia.
† Maximum dose of local anesthetics: Lidocaine without epinephrine, 5 mg/kg; lidocaine with epinephrine, 7 mg/kg; bupivacaine, 1.5 mg/kg. NOTE: A 1% solution (of any substance) represents 10 mg/mL (1 gm/100 mL). Epinephrine causes vasoconstriction, which prolongs the anesthetic effect. Patients with cardiac disease should receive only limited amounts of epinephrine (maximum 3.5 mL of solution containing 1:100,000 epinephrine); alternatively, use local anesthetic without epinephrine.
Additional Considerations
Relevant Anatomy
Positioning
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Position the patient inclined, with the patient's head at the level of your elbows and the occiput supported.
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For the lower jaw, use a semi-recumbent sitting position, making the lower occlusal plane roughly parallel to the floor when the mouth is open.
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For the upper jaw, use a more supine position, making the upper occlusal plane roughly 60 to 90 degrees to the floor.
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Turn the head and extend the neck such that the injection site (upper or lower mucobuccal fold) will be accessible.
Step-by-Step Description of Procedure
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Wear nonsterile gloves and mask and safety glasses, or a face shield.
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Instruct the patient to partially close the mouth and relax the jaw, lip, and cheek muscles.
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Using your thumb and index finger, grasp the cheek lateral to the tooth, and retract it away from the tooth, to delineate the mucobuccal fold.
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Use gauze to thoroughly dry the mucobuccal fold. Use suction as needed to keep the area dry.
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Apply topical anesthetic with cotton-tipped applicators and wait 2 to 3 minutes for the anesthesia to occur.
Inject the local anesthetic
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Again retract the lip laterally, to delineate the mucobuccal fold. Keep the mucosa taut.
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Hold the anesthetic syringe such that the needle bevel faces the tooth.
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Insert the needle into the depth of the mucobuccal fold and advance parallel to the tooth until it contacts bone, aiming for the apex (1 to 1.5 cm to contact the adult maxilla).
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Aspirate, to exclude intravascular placement. If aspiration reveals an intravascular placement, withdraw the needle 2 to 3 mm, then re-aspirate prior to injection.
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Slowly inject about 1 to 2 mL of anesthetic. During the injection, use a finger to apply external pressure to the cheek near the site of anesthetic deposition, to prevent local tissue ballooning.
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If anesthesia is not satisfactory after 10 minutes, inject a small amount on the palatal/lingual side. This is commonly required for a tooth extraction.
Aftercare
Warnings and Common Errors
Tricks and Tips
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Distraction techniques (eg, talking to the patient or having the patient hold someone else's hand) may help to reduce patient anxiety.
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Inject the local anesthetic solution slowly (30 to 60 seconds) to reduce the pain of injection.
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Upper molars with thick overlying bone are sometimes not adequately anesthetized with supraperiosteal infiltration alone. If so, do a posterior superior alveolar nerve block. Using a 25- or 27-gauge long (3-cm) needle, enter the mucobuccal fold over the second molar. Aim posteriorly, superiorly, and medially, toward the posterior wall of the maxillary tuberosity at the level of the root apices. Aspirate, and then inject 1 to 2 mL of anesthetic solution.
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Drug Name | Select Trade |
|---|---|
bupivacaine |
MARCAINE |
epinephrine |
ADRENALIN |
benzocaine |
ANBESOL |
lidocaine |
XYLOCAINE |
