Topical anesthetic efficacy on palatal mucosa pretreated with microneedles

• Grant number: 17/19032-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Michelle Franz Montan Braga Leite
• Grantee: Gabriela Gama Xavier Augusto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The local anesthesia at the palatal mucosa is still a traumatic experience to most patients. Topical anesthetics are commonly used to reduce discomfort associated to this procedure, however, it is known that its efficacy is not always achieved. Recent studies have proposed that the use of microneedles is able to cross the stratum corneum in a painless manner, and to promote an increased transdermal absorption and efficacy. This is a promising technology for topical anesthesia in Dentistry. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of a topical anesthetic formulation in palatal mucosa pretreated with microneedles. Briefly, microneedles patches (containing 50 microneedles measuring 700 µm in length) will be applied at the anterior region of the palatal mucosa. About 200 mg of a commercially available topical anesthetic will be applied at the same region during 5 min, followed by a local anesthesia. Pain associated to needle puncture and local anesthetic injection will be evaluated in two different visual analogue pain scales (VAS). We expect that the pretreatment of palatal mucosa with microneedles will be effective in increasing the efficacy of topical anesthetics in order to promote a painless local anesthesia at this region. (AU)