Use of local anesthesia in restorative treatment for adults in Finland

Abstract

Objective. In this survey we investigated the frequency of use of local anesthesia (LA) in restorative treatment for vital teeth in adults in Finland. Material and methods. A postal questionnaire was mailed to 592 dentists selected by systematic sampling from the membership list of the Finnish Dental Association; 57% responded. The questionnaire inquired “How often do you use local anesthesia when restoring vital teeth in adults?” for three types of primary restorations: class III for incisors, class II for premolars or molars, and class V on gingival margin for premolars or molars. Statistical evaluation included chi-square and logistic regression modeling. Results. For restorative treatment of class III primary restoration for incisors, 21% of the dentists used LA always or almost always, 47% fairly often, 30% occasionally, and 2% rarely or never. For class II restoration for premolars or molars, 25% of dentists used LA always or almost always, 58% used LA fairly often, 16% occasionally, and 1% rarely or never. Controlling for gender and time elapsed since graduation, public dentists were more likely to use LA always or almost always for Class II (OR=2.0) and Class III (OR=1.8) restorations. No such difference appeared for Class V restorations. Conclusion. The majority of dentists have accepted LA as part of their everyday practice, with more widespread use among public dentists. Still, to prevent future dental fear among patients, dentists should emphasize pain-free treatment.