Efficiency of a computer controlled injector-system for dental local anaesthesia

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the subjective pain perception by injection and the anesthetic effect on the time course of the pain perception threshold level of the dental pulp through a computer controlled injector system for local anesthesia (The WandTM). The WandTM provides a reduced dosage and a controlled delivery of anaesthetic solution. Methods: Studies were carried out on the upper middle incisors of 10 young healthy volunteers after the injection of 0,6 ml anesthetic solution of articaine 4% with vasoconstrictor (epinephrine 1:200.000). Constant current electrical tooth pulp stimulation was used (0 - 200µA) to determine pain perception threshold level. Threshold levels over 200 µA were regarded as complete anesthesia. Results were recorded every two minutes. A control anesthesia using 0.6 ml dosage of the same solution was carried out under randomized conditions on the same group of volunteers with a conventional system (needle and syringe). The time between the both experiments was one week. The time course of local anesthesia was statistically analyzed using paired T-test. Results: For every time point there was no statistically difference between experimental and control group. Although the subjective pain perception and the anesthetic effect of both systems did not show any difference. Neither effect was statistically significant. Conclusion: The use of TheWandTM for dentistry as a system for local anaesthesia can be also demonstrated and has the same efficiency as the conventional procedure.