ABSTRACT
Local anesthetic solutions frequently contain vasoconstrictors to increase the depth and/or duration of anesthesia. Generally, the duration of soft-tissue anesthesia exceeds that of pulpal anesthesia. Negative consequences of soft-tissue anesthesia include accidental lip and tongue biting as well as difficulty in eating, drinking, speaking, and smiling. A double-blind, randomized, multicenter, Phase 2 study tested the hypothesis that local injection of the vasodilator phentolamine mesylate would shorten the duration of soft-tissue anesthesia following routine dental procedures. Participants (122) received one or two cartridges of local anesthetic/vasoconstrictor prior to dental treatment. Immediately after treatment, 1.8 mL of study drug (containing 0.4 mg phentolamine mesylate or placebo) was injected per cartridge of local anesthetic used. The phentolamine was well-tolerated and reduced the median duration of soft-tissue anesthesia in the lip from 155 to 70 min (p < 0.0001).
Subject(s)
Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists/pharmacology , Anesthesia, Dental/methods , Phentolamine/pharmacology , Sensation/drug effects , Touch/drug effects , Adolescent , Adult , Anesthetics, Local/administration & dosage , Child , Double-Blind Method , Drug Combinations , Drug Interactions , Female , Humans , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Lip/drug effects , Male , Middle Aged , Mouth/drug effects , Prospective Studies , Recovery of Function/drug effects , Reference Values , Time Factors , Vasoconstrictor Agents/administration & dosageABSTRACT
The management of condylar fractures is one of the most controversial topics in the repair of the maxillofacial skeleton. An extensive volume of literature exists describing the various indications for a specific treatment of this injury. This article outlines the absolute and relative indications for an open procedure and describes three different modalities for the immediate reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint system. Three different case reports are used to illustrate the respective procedures--replacement of the temporomandibular joint with autologous rib graft, replacement of the temporomandibular joint with an alloplast, and vertical ramus osteotomy for repositioning of the condylar stump. The discussion section reviews the findings and preferences of various treatment modalities described in the literature, along with the advantages and disadvantages.