Effect of computerized delivery intraligamental injection in primary molars on their corresponding permanent tooth buds.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prevalence of developmental disturbances in permanent teeth in which buds were exposed to intraligamental injection (ILI) delivered by a computer controlled local anaesthetic delivery (C-CLAD).

METHODS

The study population consisted of 78 children (age 4.1-12.8 years) who received ILI-C-CLAD to 166 primary molars. A structured form was designed to include information regarding age at treatment, gender, type of treated tooth, tooth location, type of dental treatment, and type of developmental disturbance(s) present in the associated permanent tooth. Teeth, which received regular anaesthesia or were not anaesthetized by local anaesthesia, served as controls.

RESULTS

Five children had developmental defects. In C-CLAD-ILI exposed teeth, one child had two hypomaturation defects. The corresponding primary teeth were extracted. No defects were found on the control side. In two children, hypoplastic defects were found only in the control teeth (one in each child). One suffered from a dentoalveolar abscess in the corresponding primary tooth. Diffuse hypomaturation defects were found in two children on both the C-CLAD-ILI exposed and control sides.

CONCLUSION

In the primary dentition, C-CLAD-ILI does not increase the danger of developmental disturbances to the underlying permanent dental bud.