Pulpal anesthesia from an application of a eutectic topical anesthetic

A new topical anesthetic agent, EMLA cream 5%, was investigated to determine if long application times could produce a degree of pulpal anesthesia. Thirteen subjects underwent testing in a double-blind manner. Pulpal anesthesia was assessed by electrical pulp testing. After the cream was applied for 15 to 30 minutes, 92% (12/13) of subjects reported no pain to the maximum setting of the pulp tester (300 V). The results of this study suggest EMLA cream has potential application in restorative dentistry and deserves further investigation.