Randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of the "water on tray" anesthesia technique compared to the Halsted technique.

Abstract

Objective: With respect to the high failure rate of conventional IANB technique and other associated disadvantages, in this study we focused on an alternative called Water on Tray technique and assessed the efficiency of this method compared to the conventional technique.

Materials and methods: This single-blind, single center randomized controlled trial was carried out among 90 individuals referred to the dental clinic of the International Branch of Guilan University of Medical Sciences (IB-GUMS) from November to December of 2017. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups. Injection pain was assessed using Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and patients were asked to report any tingling sensation on the lip and tongue on the side of injection. Electric pulp test (EPT) and the stick test were also performed. If no numbness was report within 15 min, the injection was deemed unsuccessful. SPSS software version 25 was used with the significance level of p < 0.05.

Results: The WOT technique demonstrated a significantly higher success rate of achieving adequate anesthesia on the first attempt (p < 0.05). Additionally, the WOT technique exhibited other significant advantages, including no instances of positive aspiration, rapid onset of action coupled with lingual nerve block, and reduced pain during injection.

Conclusion: The Water on Tray is a favorable technique to achieve inferior alveolar nerve block due to its ease and high success rate compared to the conventional technique.

Clinical relevance: This technique allows dentists to achieve a higher success rate with inferior alveolar nerve blocks and reduce injection pain in patients.