Effect of upper lip compression on pain reduction during local anesthesia. A split-mouth randomized clinical trial

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of pressure on the skin of upper lip in decreasing pain perception during a local maxillary anesthetic injection. Material and Methods: A split-mouth crossover randomized clinical trial was designed. Seventy-one volunteer students (23.6±1.9 years old, 53.5% women) were selected. A group chosen at random had their left or right side of upper lip compressed by a wooden clothes peg as the compression instrument and 0.6 ml of lidocaine 2% with epinephrine 1100,000 was administered at the buccal apex level of the lateral incisors tooth. Two weeks later anesthesia was administered on the opposite side of the lip according to the randomization recorded. The intensity of perceived pain level between the two injections using a 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS) and co-variable effect were compared (Wilcoxon test p < 0.05, RStudio). Results: The average of the perceived pain with and without upper lip compression was 27.6±14.5 mm (range 0-80 mm) and 36.33±17.9 mm (range 10-90 mm) respectively (p= 0.002). No significant differences were recorded according the covariance analysis with the sex (p = 0.55) and age (p = 0.89). Conclusion: The upper lip compression significantly reduces the perception of pain during a local maxillary anesthetic technique.