History of Lidocaine Use in Dentistry

Spielman, Andrew I. and Forrai, Judit (2025) History of Lidocaine Use in Dentistry. KALEIDOSCOPE: MŰVELŐDÉS- TUDOMÁNY- ÉS ORVOSTÖRTÉNETI FOLYÓIRAT, 15 (30). pp. 404-406. ISSN 2062-2597

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Abstract

The history of local anaesthetics in dentistry began with the use of cocaine in 1884, but its addictive properties led to the search for safer alternatives. Amylocaine (Stovaine) was introduced in 1903, followed by Procaine (Novocaine) in 1905, synthesised by Alfred Einhorn. To prolong anaesthesia, Braun proposed combining Novocaine with epinephrine as a vasoconstrictor. Early administration of all anaesthetics relied on reusable Luer syringes, but concerns over hepatitis B led to the development of disposable cartridges in 1922. Novocaine remained the primary anaesthetic until 1943, when Swedish chemists Nils Löfgren and Bengt Lundqvist developed lidocaine, a safer and longer-lasting alternative. Marketed as Xylocaine in 1949, lidocaine became the preferred local anaesthetic in dentistry. Today, lidocaine remains the most widely used dental anaesthetic, available in various forms, with later innovations including bupivacaine (1963) and ropivacaine (1993).

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