A Double-Blind Split Mouth Study Comparing the Effects of 5% EMLA Cream and 20% Benzocaine on Pre-Injection Analgesia EMLA vs. Benzocaine for Pre-Injection Analgesia
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Abstract
Background: Pain during local anesthetic injections is a common concern in dental procedures, often managed by topical anesthetics. However, no topical anesthetic has entirely eliminated this pain.
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of 5% EMLA cream and 20% benzocaine gel in reducing pre-injection pain.
Methods: A double-blind, split-mouth clinical trial was conducted with 70 participants, aged 18-35 years, undergoing bilateral dental extractions. 5% EMLA cream and 20% benzocaine gel were applied to separate sites before injection. Pain was assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at 3, 6, and 9 minutes post-administration. Data were analyzed using an independent sample t-test with significance set at p ≤ 0.05.
Results: The EMLA group showed significantly lower VAS scores compared to the benzocaine group at 3 minutes (3.00 ± 2.04 vs. 4.00 ± 1.00, p = 0.035), 6 minutes (3.00 ± 2.04 vs. 4.23 ± 1.38, p = 0.005), and 9 minutes (3.00 ± 2.04 vs. 4.00 ± 1.53, p = 0.004).
Conclusion: EMLA cream was more effective than benzocaine gel in reducing pre-injection pain. Clinicians should consider EMLA as a preferred option for enhanced patient comfort.
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