Techniques for effective local anaesthetic administration for the paediatric patient.

Local anaesthesia forms the backbone of pain control techniques in dentistry and has a major role in dentistry for children and adults alike. Dental anxiety is still prevalent among children, causing delays in seeking dental care and leading to increased rates in childhood caries, resulting in increased hospital admissions for dental care under general anaesthesia. There is a constant search for more comfortable means of achieving local anaesthesia to provide a more positive experience for paediatric patients when seeking dental treatment. This article aims to provide an overview of local anaesthetic techniques used in paediatric dentistry, as well as methods utilised to make local anaesthetic administration more comfortable and how to increase acceptability.