Advances in dentistry have come at an extraordinary rate, especially in the last ten years. Many, if not most of these advances, have directly benefited the dental patient. Some of the more important and beneficial advances include dental lasers (very innocuous), digital xrays (much less radiation exposure than standard xrays), and the advent of CAD/CAM procedures (one-visit restorations). In March 2009, Novalar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. introduced to the dental profession OraVerse(TM), the first and only anesthesia reversal agent that expedites the return to normal sensation and function for patients who want to avoid the unwanted lingering soft tissue anesthesia. Simply put, OraVerse(TM) reverses the effects of novocaine such that the dental patient will experience a return to normal in approximately half the time. Until now, when a patient received a local anesthetic, for approximately two to three hours after the appointment, there might be an inability to speak clearly, difficulty in drinking and eating, and a possible change in appearance, for example, when smiling. In addition, many patients have bitten their tongue, cheek and/or lip, occasionally quite traumatically.
OraVerse (phentolamine mesylate) was approved by the FDA in May 2008 and has been proven safe and effective in adults and children over the age of six years. It is an injectible agent that comes in a standard dental cartridge exactly like all of our local anesthetics, and it is easily injected into the same location where the local anesthetic had already been introduced. Whereas some patients might experience some discomfort when the initial local anesthetic is injected, the OraVerse injection is given into numb tissue; therefore, there is absolutely no discomfort.
Phentolamine mesylate is a vasodilator (a chemical that widens blood vessels to increase blood flow); it counteracts the vasocontrictors found in many local anesthetics, thereby enabling faster uptake by the bloodstream of the local anesthetic and reducing the duration of the undesirable symptoms. OraVerse is typically used after routine dental procedures such as fillings, crowns, and some periodontal treatment. Most dentists will not administer OraVerse after procedures such as extractions or root canal treatment, which are associated with more significant post-operative discomfort.
The use of OraVerse is especially appealing when a child has undergone dental treatment with a local anesthetic. Children are statistically more prone to post-treatment trauma due to their normal curiosity, which might lead to accidental biting, pinching, or scratching of the numb tissue. The sooner the effects of the local anesthetic wear off, the possibility of injury is minimized.
Clinical studies have shown that OraVerse reduces the recovery of normal sensation in the lower lip by 85 minutes (55% faster than a control group) and in the upper lip by 83 minutes (62% faster than the control group). In addition, the recovery of normal function was reduced by 43% in the upper jaw and 50% in the lower jaw. Adult patients have stated that the use of OraVerse improved their dental experience, and a significant majority expressed interest in receiving OraVerse again at future visits.
As the dental profession continues to expand in positive directions, Oraverse is another valuable tool that has been added to the dentist's armamentarium. It can benefit virtually every patient and you will be talking, smiling, eating, and drinking like normal in just about half the time. As dentists, we want you to have the most comfortable experience possible. It's a commitment that begins when you walk in our door and extends long after you leave our office. The ability to make a patient’s postoperative experience more pleasant is another step in improving the public’s perception of dental care.
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