Intraoral conduction anesthesia with epinephrine-containing local anesthetics and arterial epinephrine plasma concentration.

Abstract

Following conduction anesthesia using either lidocaine 2% with epinephrine 1:80,000, articaine 4% with epinephrine 1:100,000, or articaine 4% with epinephrine 1:200,000, the arterial plasma epinephrine concentration was measured. Eighteen healthy young patients scheduled for osteotomy of a mandibular third molar were studied. Each local anesthetic-epinephrine combination was tested in six patients. There was no significant difference in the arterial plasma epinephrine concentration after injection of 2 mL of the studied anesthetic-epinephrine combinations. The result was explained by the concentration difference in the local anesthetics. Although the vasodilating action of lidocaine and articaine is almost identical, there will be enhanced vasodilation by the doubled concentration in the case of articaine (4%) and the local resorption of epinephrine may be facilitated. There were no significant changes in the measured cardiovascular parameters.