Newer Local Anaesthetic Drugs and Delivery Systems in Dentistry – An Update

Pain and its successful management have been one of the cornerstones of Dentistry worldwide since time immemorial. The successful use of local anesthetic solutions and their diligent administration have helped patients overcome their fears and displeasure towards dentistry. It is imperative on our part to update our knowledge and skills in using newer alternatives in pain control and management and ways of administering them to increase the comfort level of our patients and resolve the clichéd paradigm of “Pain and Dentistry are inseparable”.Lignocaine hydrochloride has been the gold standard in local anaesthesia and has proven its efficacy and efficiency to provide a pain free environment. However, newer drugs are currently available that overcome some of the potential drawbacks of Lignocaine and give us more focused relief in pain management. Similarly, the „dreaded injection from a dentist‟ can be one of the primary reasons for potential patients not seeking timely treatment for their dental problems. To overcome this primary fear, many newer innovations in drug delivery systems have been devised to improve the patients‟ experience at the dentist and thereby provide the dentist with a more cooperative patient, resulting in optimized dental care. This article reviews some of the alternatives to Lignocaine and also the newer drug delivery systems that have proven to be beneficial in providing optimal care to our patients.