Euthanasia and palliative care--an uneasy partnership

PURPOSE: To compare the effectiveness of the intraligamentary technique of anesthetic administration (ILA) with the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in extraction of mandibular teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ILA and IANB injections using Citanest with Octapressin were administered on 16 patients requiring bilateral mandibular dental extractions. Discomfort during needle placement, profoundness of anesthesia obtained, and patient preference were evaluated for both techniques. RESULTS: A total of 45 teeth were extracted. Ten patients (62.5%) reported discomfort during needle placement with ILA injection compared to three patients (18.75%) with IANB (P = 0.031). Fifty percent (12/24) of teeth extracted with ILA injection were removed without discomfort to the patient compared to 85.7% (18/21) using IANB (P = 0.027). No difference in patient preference between the two techniques was noted.