Evaluation of articaine/clonidine anesthesia on IANB in symptomatic irreversible pulpitis teeth

Introduction: Inferior alveolar nerve block plays a major role in treatment of the patients with irreversible pulpitis. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of 4% Articaine anesthesia with epinephrine 1:100000 in the combination with clonidine on the success of inferior alveolar nerve block in the molar teeth with the symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Methodology:  A total of 100 patients with diagnosis of irreversible symptomatic pulpitis in the mandibular molar teeth were selected. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups. In the first group, 0.2 ml of the clonidine 150 µg / ml were added to 1.8 ml of the 4% Articaine anesthetic solution with epinephrine 1:100000 by using Hamilton's syringe. In the second group, 0.2 ml of the sterile distilled water was added to 1.8 ml of the 4% Articaine Anesthetic solution with epinephrine 1:100000 by using the Hamilton's syringe. The inferior alveolar nerve block was injected to each of the patients. The access cavity was prepared 15 minutes after the injection and inducing the lip anesthesia. Success was defined as no pain or mild pain during the preparation of the access cavity or the initial instrumentation based on HP-VAS. The data were analyzed by using the t-test, Mann-Whitney and Chi-square tests. Results: In this study, the success rate was 66% in the group that received 4% Articaine solution with the epinephrine 1/00000 in the combination with clonidine and it was 58% in the group that received 4% Articaine solution with epinephrine 1:100000  with distilled water (P-value=0.410). Conclusion: Adding clonidine to 4% Articaine anesthesia drug did not increase the success of the inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia in the molar teeth with the symptomatic irreversible pulpitis.