The ability to control pain is a critical part of all dental procedures. Throughout history, dental professionals have used a variety of methods for dental procedures, from herbal remedies to local anesthetics and nitrous oxide, to create a comfortable and trusting environment for the patient.
With pain-dulling practices starting as early as 2250 BC, the evolution of dental anesthesia has come a long way to help make some of the most invasive oral procedures possible.
2250 BC:Â A Babylonian clay tablet reveals the remedy for pain of dental cavities. The cement that was used was made by mixing henbane seed with gum mastic.
1000 BC:Â In India, wine is used to produce insensibility.
1540:Â Valerius Cordus of Germany introduces synthesized sweet vitriol, now more commonly known as ether.
1564:Â Ambroise Pare of France obtains local anesthesia by compression of nerves.
1779:Â Humphry Davy announces the anesthetic properties of nitrous oxide and notably calls it laughing gas.
1842:Â Morton begins the use of ether in dental and oral procedures.
1844:Â After demonstrating nitrous to Dr. Horace Wells, traveling showman Gardner Colton gives nitrous oxide to Wells and another dentist, Dr. Riggs, for wisdom tooth extraction.
1846:Â Dr. Horace Wells demonstrates the use of nitrous oxide for tooth extraction. Since the patient claimed he still felt pain during the experience, it was not considered a successful demonstration.
1853:Â The hollow needle and hypodermic syringe are invented.
1877:Â Sister Mary Bernard of the US is considered the first nurse anesthetist.
1884:Â Carl Koller expounded the value of cocaine for local anesthesia.
1894:Â H.J. Carlson discovers that ethyl chloride produced a sound sleep in some dental patients.
1904:Â Procaine, or more commonly known as Novocaine, is discovered.
1915:Â D.F. Jackson uses carbon dioxide absorber for general anesthesia.
1931:Â The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is organized by Agatha Hodgins.
1942:Â Curare, an arrow poison once used by South American Indians, is first used and starts the âAge of Anesthesia.â
1943:Â Lidocaine is synthesized and used as a dental anesthetic in minor surgery.
1956:Â Halothane, which is still used today, is used clinically for the first time.
1967:Â Synthesized pancuronium, Pavulon, is first used clinically.
1981:Â Forane is approved for general use in the United States.
1990:Â Propofol (Diprivan) Sedative, a hypnotic is introduced into clinical use in the United States after showing success in Europe for many years.
1992:Â Desflurane is introduced and used clinically.
For more information read our series from 2012 by Dr. Darin OâBryan:
How to Give a Painless Injection.
Learn more about techniques relating to anesthesia, as well as, occlusion, implants, esthetics and treatment planning from Spear Digital Suite.
View the free lesson: Connecting Implants and Teeth.