The Use of Local Anesthesia During Dental Rehabilitations: A Survey of AAPD Members

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to document current practices among pediatric and general dentists who are members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) regarding the use of local anesthesia (LA) on children undergoing dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia (GA). Methods: A survey was administered via e-mail to AAPD members to document the use of LA during dental rehabilitations under GA and the rationales for its use. Results: A total of 952 of 5,599 members responded to this survey; 79 percent of respondents use LA at least part of the time during dental rehabilitations under GA. “Improved patient recovery” was the most commonly cited rationale for administering LA. Extraction of permanent and primary teeth were the two most common procedures cited for the use of LA, respectively. Conclusion: There is no consensus among the respondents on the use of local anesthesia during dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia, but the majority responded that it does play a role in their perioperative patient management.