Dental News - The STA-intraligamentary injection vs. the PDL

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The STA-intraligamentary injection vs. the PDL

The hand wand, part of the STA system. (DTI/Photo Milestone Scientific)
Eugene R. Casagrande, DDS, FACD, FICD

Eugene R. Casagrande, DDS, FACD, FICD

Wed. 8 December 2010

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There are major differences that should be considered between the traditional PDL injection, delivered with the dental syringe, the Ligmaject or the Peri-press, and the STA (single tooth anesthesia) administered intraligamentary injection (STA-II).

Some of the differences are as follows:

  • The PDL is usually the injection of last resort when the mandibular block fails. The STA-II should be the primary injection for any maxillary or mandibular tooth and can replace mandibular blocks and supraperiosteal infiltrations, which cause collateral numbness to the patient’s lip, face and tongue.
  • With the PDL, a small amount of anesthetic is injected under excessive pressure, which produces a short duration of anesthesia. The STA-II delivers a larger volume of anesthetic under minimal pressure resulting in longer duration (40 minutes).
  • The PDL is difficult to administer and the flow rate depends on manual pressure. The STA-II is easy to administer, and the flow rate is computer-controlled, consistent and below the patient’s pain threshold.
  • The PDL is painful on delivery, results in tissue damage and bone resorption, and can cause post-operative discomfort. The STA-II is a comfortable injection, and a clinical study shows it causes no tissue damage or bone resorption and little or no post-op discomfort.

The STA, using dynamic pressure sensing, allows you to know when you have arrived at the correct site (the periodontal ligament space) for a successful intraligamentary injection; it also indicates if you have left the site and if the needle has been blocked by obstruction or pressure.

Check out the simple injection technique for the STA-II and more on the STAis4U.com website.

It’s easy to do. Try it, you’ll like it. And so will your patients.

Eugene R. Casagrande, DDS, FACD, FICD, is director of international and professional relations at Milestone Scientific.

 

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