Relationship Between the Experience of the Operator and the Efficacy of Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block

Abstract

Objective:The objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of local anesthesia in the mandible on the basis of experience of the operator.

Study Design:Clinical, Analytical, descriptive / cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in a private sector college, Jinnah Medical and Dental College Karachifrom 13^th October 2016 to 16^th February 2017.

Materials and Methods:This study was performed at Oral and maxillofacial surgery department of Jinnah Medical and Dental College Karachi. The data was collected from 44 patients visiting the OPD for extraction of mandibular posterior teeth. The operators were divided into two groups, Interns (including students and house officers) and senior faculty. The data was collected for time taken for effective local anesthesia by the two groups of operators. The time taken for the anesthesia to be effective was divided into three groups (A=1-3 minutes, B= 4-6 minutes and C= 7-10 minutes). The time was calculated when the inferior alveolar block was administered till the effective anesthesia was confirmed, which was checked by using a probe on sulcus of lower canine and asking the patient for the numbness of the tongue and lower lip on the side the block was administered. After the completion of all the information, the data was stored in excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS.

Results: The sample constituted of 54.5% males and 45.5 % females. The majority of the patients were in between the ages 20-40 years. The most common comorbid was hypertension noticed in 15.9% of the patients. The results of the study showed that group A had a significant percentage of patients who were treated by senior faculty (72%) whereas group B and group C had more percentage of patients who were treated by interns (78% and 80% respectively). Therefore, the time taken for local anesthesia to be effective was more for interns then for senior faculty.

Conclusion: This study indicates that the experience of the operator does play a major role in the efficacy of local anesthesia.