Background: Successful local anesthesia is the bedrock of pain control in endodontics. The present study was conducted to evaluate anesthetic efficacy of 4% articaine and 2% lidocaine for buccal infiltration in cases of irreversible pulpitis. Materials & Methods: The present study was conducted on 40 patients with irreversible pulpitis in maxillary first molar. Group I received 4% articaine with buccal infiltration and group II received 2% lidocaine with buccal infiltration. All subjects were asked to rate their pain on an HP VAS. Access preparation and pulp extirpation was determined in both groups. Results: It was found that initial pain score in group I was 2.38 and in group II was 2.98. Access preparation was successful in 74% in group I and 71% in group II. Pulp extirpation was successful in 68% in group I and 70% in group II. The difference was non- significant (P> 0.05). Conclusion: Both 4% articaine and 2% lidocaine found to be equally effective in initial pain score and in terms of efficacy access preparation and pulp extirpation.
Key words: Articaine, Lidocaine, Local anesthesia

Received: 12 December  2018                                  Revised: 22 December  2018                         Accepted: 24 December  2018
Corresponding author: Dr. Shabir Ahmad Bhat, Dental surgeon at District Hospital Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir

This article may be cited as: Bhat SA, Misgar O, Zargar AW. Efficacy of 4% articaine and 2% lidocaine for buccal infiltration in cases of irreversible pulpitis. Int J Res Health Allied Sci 2019; 5(1): 143-145.