Revolutionising Third Molar Surgery: Unveiling the Superiority of Articaine and Lignocaine in Nerve Block Techniques. A Ground-breaking Triple-Blind, Randomised Clinical Trial

Abstract

Aim: The present study compared the efficacy of inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) and local infiltration with 4% articaine combined with IANB using 2% lignocaine in mandibular third molar surgery.

Materials and methods: This in-vivo study analysed 90 patients undergoing third molar surgery, divided into three groups. The appropriate groups received 4% articaine hydrochloride with 1:100,000 epinephrine and 2% lignocaine hydrochloride with 1:100,000 epinephrine. Various parameters, including anaesthesia duration, onset, surgery duration, postoperative analgesia duration, and intra-operative pain, were assessed using the Heft-Parker VAS. The collected data was evaluated for statistical analysis.

Results: In this study, articaine demonstrated a shorter onset of action and longer analgesia duration when compared to lidocaine. Articaine infiltration provided an average analgesia duration of 32.37 + 8.9 min during surgery, surpassing articaine IANB and lignocaine IANB. Although the duration of anaesthesia and postoperative anaesthesia showed no significant differences, articaine infiltration had a slightly longer duration of action. Intra-operative pain assessment revealed that 50% of individuals in the articaine IANB group reported no pain.

Conclusion: Articaine infiltrations are highly effective for anaesthesia in mandibular third molar extraction, surpassing other local anaesthetics. It is a superior alternative to regional nerve blocks in minor oral surgeries.

Keywords: Articaine; Impacted third molars; Inferior alveolar nerve block; Lignocaine; Local anesthesia.