buffered local anesthesia

Buffered local anesthesia refers to a formulation of local anesthetic (most commonly articaine or lidocaine) where sodium bicarbonate is added to the solution immediately prior to injection. This process, known as buffering, raises the pH of the anesthetic solution from its typically acidic state (pH 3.5–5.0) to a more physiological level (pH 7.3–7.4). The increased pH enhances the concentration of the unionized, lipid-soluble form of the anesthetic, allowing for more rapid diffusion across neuronal membranes and a faster onset of action. Additionally, the reduction in acidity is associated with decreased pain upon injection. In the context of the Alexandria University clinical trial, the formulation specifically consists of 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine buffered with sodium bicarbonate, used for inferior alveolar nerve blocks in pediatric patients undergoing pulpotomy for pulpitis.

Other names

Buffered Local Anesthesiasodium bicarbonate-buffered articainebuffered articainearticaine + epinephrine + sodium bicarbonate