Mepivacaine for dental anesthesia: a dose-finding study for lower third molar extraction by blocking inferior alveolar nerve

BACKGROUND: Inferior alveolar nerve block is the most common technique used for dental surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the optimal dose and time of mepivacaine anesthesia for inferior alveolar nerve block in lower third molar extraction.METHODS: Fifty healthy volunteers with a mean age of 23 years and a mean weight of 55 kg were enrolled in this study and received mandibular third molar extraction. They were anesthetized with one cartridge of 2% mepivacaine (1.8 mL) and epinephrine mixture (1:100,000) for inferior alveolar nerve block. Another injection was administered to address any pain concerns. The onset was assessed by a feeling of numbness in the lip.RESULTS: In the findings, forty-five participants required only one cartridge of mepivacaine, while five participants required two cartridges. The mean time for the onset of anesthesia was one minute and forty-seven seconds. The results showed a significant association between the volume of anesthetic with age and weight. No statistical significance was observed between gender, volume of anesthetic, and onset time. Particularly, no postoperative complications were found after the lower third molar extraction.CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests one cartridge of the anesthetic would be efficacious for lower third molar extraction by inferior alveolar nerve block.