Professional Attitudes and Practice of Pediatric Dentists About the Use of Local Anesthesia for the Treatment of Children Under General Anesthesia

Abstract

Background: The application of local anesthesia in dental surgeries conducted under general anesthesia poses a challenge in pediatric dentistry. There is a lack of consensus regarding the benefits and drawbacks of using general anesthesia in this field. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes and practices of pediatric dentists regarding the use of local anesthesia for dental treatments in children under general anesthesia in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 110 pediatric dentists from across Iran. The dentists' professional attitudes and practices were assessed using a specially designed questionnaire for this study. The questionnaire was distributed through the Line press system, and the data were analyzed following collection. Results: Regarding professional practices, 34.5% of specialists refrained from using local anesthesia. The most frequent application of local anesthesia was observed in tooth extractions. The preferred local anesthetic agent was 2% lidocaine with 1:100 000 epinephrine. A lower dose than that used in outpatient settings was administered, and most specialists allowed sufficient time for the anesthesia to take effect. Conclusions: This study revealed that opinions and attitudes towards the use of local anesthesia in the dental treatment of children under general anesthesia vary across different specialties and are significantly influenced by the patient's condition, type of treatment, and practice techniques.