Lecture on the Placement of Topical Anesthetic and Anesthetic Injection

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Necessary PPE includes:
  • Mask
  • Gloves
  • Face shield
  • Lab coat

Preliminary Steps

• Inquire about patient's medical history or any changes.
  • Important to know medical conditions or medications that could interact with anesthetics.

Placement of Topical Anesthetic

General Procedure

1. Dry the Area

   • Use a 2x2 gauze to dry the targeted area in the vestibule above the tooth being treated.
   • Example: For MOD filling on tooth #2, dry the area above tooth #2.

2. Apply Topical Anesthetic

   • Use a cotton tip applicator to apply a small amount of topical anesthetic.
   • Place directly on the dry area without smearing.
   • Position the applicator stick towards the midline of the mouth.

3. Saliva Protection

   • Place a 2x2 gauze outside the applicator to prevent saliva from diluting the anesthetic and making the patient uncomfortable.

4. Waiting Time

   • Textbook suggests 15-30 seconds, but in practice, leave topical for 2-5 minutes for better patient comfort.

Anesthetic Injection for Maxillary and Mandibular Teeth

Tools Required

• Anesthetic syringe
• Anesthetic carpule
• Needle (short blue for maxillary, long for mandibular)

Assembling the Anesthetic Syringe

1. Place the anesthetic carpule:
   • Insert with rubber stopper towards the harpoon.
   • Push up with thumb, down with little finger to secure.
2. Attach the needle:
   • Twist and pull the protective cover.
   • Screw needle onto the syringe gently and harpoon to lock it.

Injection Procedure

• Maxillary (Tooth #2):
  • Use a short needle for infiltration.
  • Injection directly above each tooth.
• Mandibular (Tooth #30):
  • Use long needle for nerve block.
  • Injection behind last molar, affecting teeth from #32 to #25 and the side of the tongue.

Post-Injection

• Recap the needle with a needle capper, never by hand.
• Dispose of used needles and carpules in a red sharps container.
• Ensure the syringe and all used equipment go to the dirty side for sterilization.

Safety and Disposal

• Always be cautious with needles to avoid injury.
• Use designated sharps containers for disposal of needles and glass carpules.
• Ensure all contaminated tools are properly sterilized or disposed of.