Articaine in Pediatric Dentistry: A Literature Review

Aim: Reviewing and summarizing articaine's pharmacological characteristics, clinical efficacy, and safety profile as a local anesthetic agent in pediatric dentistry, with a focus on its benefits over more conventional drugs like lidocaine Materials and Methods: An extensive literature review and material analysis were conducted, including studies published between 2015 and 2025. Analysis was done on pertinent clinical studies, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and pediatric dentistry guidelines assessing the use of articaine in children. Key parameters assessed included anesthetic efficacy, onset and duration, diffusion capability, success in infiltration versus block anesthesia, safety outcomes, and reported adverse effects. Results: Articaine provides faster onset, greater bone penetration, and higher success rates in both maxillary and mandibular infiltrations compared to lidocaine. Many studies demonstrate that articaine infiltration can replace inferior alveolar nerve blocks, reducing injection-related anxiety and complications. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses confirm superior or comparable anesthetic efficacy to lidocaine, especially in primary molars and pulpal procedures. Conclusion: In pediatric dentistry, articaine has proven to be a reliable and safe local anesthetic. Its superior bone penetration, rapid onset, and reliable pulpal anesthesia provide significant advantages over lidocaine, particularly for infiltrations in mandibular teeth. While its use in children under 4 years requires caution, articaine remains a valuable option in pediatric dental practice. To solidify its long-term safety and effectiveness profile in children, more excellent randomized trials are required.