Pharmacology, Local Anaesthesia and Pain Control

What this unit covers

The resources here follow the path of a dental appointment: understanding pain, choosing a drug, giving the injection and handling what can go wrong. Topics include local anaesthetic chemistry and dosing, vasoconstrictors, topical agents, patient assessment, sedation and the everyday medicines dental patients take.

Where to start

Begin with the LA Intro mind map, which sets out the definition of anaesthesia and its types. Then take the quiz Local Anesthesia Chapter 1, which uses fill-in-the-blank items on local anaesthesia and pain. After that, read the Orofacial Pain map, which treats pain as a multi-dimensional experience.

Drugs and patients

• Local Anaesthetic Pharmacology flashcards ask for alternative drug names and maximum dosages.
• BASIC INJECTION TECHNIQUE (LA) flashcards cover atraumatic injection, needle wear and preventing fainting.
• Common Meds in Dentistry links conditions such as hypertension and asthma to the drugs patients take.
• Drugs used in dentistry lists antivirals, antibiotics and antifungals.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then test yourself with a quiz on the same theme. The LA Failure map explains anatomical barriers such as dense cortical bone and the zygomatic buttress. Afterwards, the quizzes on vasoconstrictors, topicals and patient assessment show what you still need to revisit. Flashcards suit short sessions on doses and names.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the Clinical Assessment, Imaging and Patient Care strand of Dentistry. Pick one resource today and build from there, or make your own maps and flashcards to fill any gaps.