Effect of Lidocaine Spray in the Enhancement of the Quality of IntraOral Periapical Radiograph when Imaging Lower Third Molar Teeth

Abstract

Abstract: Dental radiography is one of the best diagnostic methods used to identify dental diseases and several dental radiographic methods are practised in order to achieve quality images of the specific dental region. In the process of imaging lower third molar region using bisected angle technique (BAT), which is an intra-oral peri apical (IOPA) radiographic method, radiographers and the patients undergo a lot of difficulties. As a result of the difficulty in placing the film packet sufficiently posterior in the mouth cavity, the qualities of the radiographs are contrastively affected and patients tend to experience discomfort and pain. This study introduces an anaesthetic spray, to be sprayed around the oral mucosa of lower third molar region so that above difficulties are minimized. This applied descriptive study is carried out engaging 62 patients in two randomly selected groups as 31 in an experimental group and 31 in a controlled group. Photographs of each radiograph obtained from both the groups were analysed for quality using a quality assessment tool and each patient were given a visual analogue scale for the pain assessment. Results obtained from statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the qualities of radiographs obtained from conventional method and the new method. However, there were significant differences between conventional and new method when the overall opinions of the evaluators and the pain levels were analysed. This study can be considered as a useful supplementary aid in the clinical practise.