Effects of lidocaine with epinephrine on fear related arousal among dental phobics.

The effects of 2% lidocaine containing 72 μg epinephrine on fear related arousal were tested using a cross-over design on dental patients fearful of injections and other dental procedures. Heart rate and body movement in the dental operatory were monitored, and subjects' self-reported upset in the Epinephrine condition than in the No-Epinephrine condition (F = 4.8, p = .04), but the clinical significance was negligible. No interaction between initial fear levels and the drug condition could be established. Results suggest that pre-existing dental fear levels may produce greater self-report, behavioral or physiological arousal in the dental operatory than exogenous epinephrine.