Dental CE Course: Local Anesthesia

1. Define local anesthesia.

2. List 7 desirable properties of a local anesthetic.

3. Recognize and list various local anesthetics under respective classifications currently used in the United States.

4. Describe how vasoconstrictors work with local anesthetics.

5. Describe 3 qualities of vasoconstrictors for which they are used with local anesthetics.

6. List 3 factors which should be taken into account prior to selecting a local anesthetic for a particular procedure.

7. Identify various local anesthetic agents used in dental practice, their category, and the duration of action.

8. Describe the applications of the 5 most commonly‑used anesthetic agents in dentistry today.

9. Describe the following localized complications from local anesthesia:

Prolonged anesthesia or paresthesia

Trismus

Hematoma

Pain on injection

Needle breakage

Soft tissue injury

Facial nerve paralysis

Infection

Mucosal lesions