Consultants’ Comments

• “Very useful for a periodontal practice.”
• “Taste is not bitter like injectable anesthetics.”
• “Longer lasting than standard topical anesthetics.”
• “Make the liquid more viscous.”
• “Dispenser is cumbersome. It is difficult to find a comfortable hand position while using the dispenser.”

Description

Oraqix is a 2.5% lidocaine/2.5% prilocaine anesthetic solution designed for use in periodontal pockets during scaling and/or root planing. Oraqix is not an injectable anesthetic; rather, it is applied into gingival sulci and pockets by a custom Oraqix Dispenser with a blunt applicator tip. The low-viscosity, clear solution becomes an elastic gel at body temperature. Oraqix should be applied initially onto gingival margins, followed by direct application within the sulci, after which anesthesia is effective in 30 seconds. Each application is intended to provide 20 minutes of anesthesia. A single cartridge may provide anesthesia for one quadrant. The dispenser should be autoclaved between uses. The 20 pack includes 20, 1.7-g cartridges and applicator tips. The dispenser is available separately. Twenty-nine consultants and hygienists evaluated the Oraqix starter kit in 207 applications. This product received a 91% clinical rating.

Product Features

Oraqixgt; is a unique product in the anesthetic spectrum, occupying a position between the topical anesthetic and the injectable local anesthetic. Most consultants found Oraqix to be a useful adjunct to periodontal therapy and to address an important need in localized soft-tissue anesthesia. Instructions for use and the ease of introducing the product to patients and incorporating it into practice were highly rated. Placement of the material around teeth and into sulci is easy, although some consultants found the dispenser to be bulky. The dispenser clicks for each incremental application, but does not allow visualization of the remaining amount of solution. Overall, patients were highly accepting of Oraqix. Comfort during solution placement and the quality of anesthesia are both very good. Taste was rated as good, although some patients found the flavor of the solution to be objectionable. Ninety-seven percent of consultants found Oraqix to be equivalent to or better than the current product they use for localized anesthesia of gingival tissues. Nine out of every ten evaluators indicated that they would switch to and recommend Oraqix to a colleague.

Clinical Tips

• Bend the applicator tip 45 degrees for better access into the sulcus.
• Use only for adults.
• Oraqix may be reapplied, if needed, up to a maximum of five cartridges.