In The Dentist's Chair A Sniff Of Local Anesthetic Could Replace The Needle
Main Category: DentistryAlso Included In: Pain / Anesthetics; Neurology / Neuroscience; Headache / Migraine
Article Date: 14 May 2010 - 2:00 PDT
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Modern dentistry has eliminated much of the "ouch!" from getting a shot of local anesthetic. Now a new discovery may replace the needle used to give local anesthetic in the dentist's chair for many procedures. Scientists are reporting evidence that a common local anesthetic, when administered to the nose as nose drops or a nasal spray, travels through the main nerve in the face and collects in high concentrations in the teeth, jaw, and structures of the mouth.
The discovery could lead to a new generation of intranasal drugs for noninvasive treatment for dental pain, migraine, and other conditions, the scientists suggest in American Chemical Society's bi-monthly journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. The article is scheduled for the journal's May-June issue.
William H. Frey II, Ph.D., and colleagues note that drugs administered to the nose travel along nerves and go directly to the brain. One of those nerves is the trigeminal nerve, which brings feelings to the face, nose and mouth. Until now, however, scientists never checked to see whether intranasal drugs passing along that nerve might reach the teeth, gums and other areas of the face and mouth to reduce pain sensations in the face and mouth.
Neil Johnson, working in the labs of Frey and Leah R. Hanson, Ph.D., at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., found that lidocaine or Xylocaine, sprayed into the noses of laboratory rats, quickly traveled down the trigeminal nerve and collected in their teeth, jaws, and mouths at levels 20 times higher than in the blood or brain. The approach could provide a more effective and targeted method for treating dental pain/anxiety, trigeminal neuralgia (severe facial pain), migraine, and other conditions, the scientists say.
Furthermore, these scientists discovered an improved future location to administer anesthetic, the maxillary sinus. The maxillary sinus is a golfball-sized space located underneath each cheek where drug can be sprayed. Delivery into this confined space may be the next generation approach beyond a nasal spray in providing a more rapid and focused delivery of anesthetic.
Article: "Trigeminal pathways deliver a low molecular weight drug from the nose to the brain and orofacial structures"
Source:
Michael Bernstein
American Chemical Society
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MLA
12 Feb. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/188713.php>
APA
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/188713.php.
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Visitor Opinions In Chronological Order (4)
Patients Will Benefit
posted by Irena Vaksman DDS on 16 May 2010 at 4:19 amVery interesting discovery!
This topic is very timely for me, since I just had a visit from a very pain sensitive patient.
If the spray is ultimately approved, I believe that it will not only reduce the obvious (i.e., pain) but, more importantly, it may increase treatment acceptance from needle-phobic patients.
Irena Vaksman DDS
http://www.DrVaksman.com
for dental anesthesia
posted by Dr. Victor Samuel on 6 Sep 2010 at 6:06 amThis method of local anesthesia sounds very interesting and even a thoughtful one. Me being a pediatric dentist would prefer this kind of local anesthesia for a child who lacks cooperating abilities and for uncooperative child. Once this method is proven safety for dental procedure i would be the first one to use it happily. Hope to see a new change.
About Time!
posted by Mel Green on 27 Sep 2010 at 2:42 amI have many needle phobic patients and they all will benefit from this topical spray!
They will be amused to know that I have spray their nose for numbing their teeth! :-)
Mel Green
Great possibility
posted by Robert on 20 May 2011 at 12:20 pmVery interesting....although this may be down the road a bit to be used regularly. What a huge benefit it would be, though!
Robert Heck, DDS
Charlotte Dentist
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