Comparison of efficacy of pain control using the interseptal injection technique and inferior alveolar block accompanied by long buccal infiltration in mandibular periodontal flap surgery

Background and aims. Pain control ensures patient satisfaction and cooperation. This study aimed to comparethe interseptal anesthetic technique (IA) as the initial injection for pain control during periodontal flap surgery with the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) accompanied by long buccal infiltration (LBI).Materials and methods. This single-blind randomized clinical trial included 40 periodontitis patients. Pain intensity was evaluated immediately after injection and at the end of surgery. One side was chosen as the control to receive IANB accompanied by LBI and the other side as the test to receive IA. After the injection, the patients were asked to mark their reaction to the pain immediately after the injection on a visual analogue scale, which was repeated to analyze pain the day after surgery. Data were analyzed with independent-samples t-test using SPSS 13. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.Results. The mean pain scores immediately after injection in the control and test groups were 20.62 ± 7.62 and 21.47 ± 8.62, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (df = 78, t = −0.466, P = 0.642). Pain scores 24 hours after completion of surgery in the control and test groups were 7.97 ± 3.43, and 9.30 ± 3.24, respectively, with no significant difference (df =78, t = −1.775, P = 0.080).Conclusion. Based on the results, interseptal anesthetic technique was not shown to be superior to conventional injections.