Study Finds Nitrous Oxide Increases Dental Anesthesia Success Rates

A study published in Anesthesia Progress comparing the effects of nitrous oxide/oxygen and room air/oxygen on inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) injection pain and mandibular pulpal anesthesia success rates found that administering nitrous oxide reduced injection pain.

The double-blind, crossover study led by researchers at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, required 105 patients to rate their anxiety level before the injection. Participants were divided into two groups and received nitrous oxide/oxygen or air/oxygen, followed by an IANB injection. Mean pain scores were lower for those in the nitrous oxide/oxygen group and this group also experienced a higher success rate of the IANB injection. Read more here.