ABSTRACT
A study is made of 56 patients subjected to lower molar extraction, comparing the efficacy of the Akinosi technique as an alternative to direct or conventional mandibular nerve block in two groups of 28 subjects each. The parameters evaluated were pain in response to puncture, percentage positive aspiration, latency, pain during the intervention and complications. Patient pain in response to puncture was comparatively less intense and frequent with the Akinosi technique. The latency to anesthesia was briefer with conventional mandibular block than with the Akinosi technique (2.9 versus 3.8 minutes). Pain during the intervention and the duration of the anesthetic effect were similar for both techniques. The patients anesthetized with the Akinosi technique required more buccal nerve reinforcement infiltrations to complete the procedure. The anesthetic failure rates were 10.7% and 17.8% for the conventional and Akinosi technique, respectively. It is concluded that while the Akinosi technique can be used to extract lower molars, direct mandibular block offers superior anesthetic performance.
