Vasoconstrictors in local anesthesia for dentistry.

Addition of a vasoconstrictor to a local anesthetic may have several beneficial effects: a decrease in the peak plasma concentration of the local anesthetic agent, increase in the duration and the quality of anesthesia, reduction of the minimum concentration of anesthetic needed for nerve block, and decrease of blood loss during surgical procedures. The addition of a vasoconstrictor to a local anesthetic may also have detrimental effects. A review of the literature indicates that vasoconstrictor concentrations in local anesthetics marketed for dental use in the United States are not always optimal to achieve the purposes for which they are added. In most cases, a reduced concentration of vasoconstrictor could achieve the same goal as the marketed higher concentration, with less side-effect liability.