Claims for Patent: 6,413,499

Summary for Patent: 6,413,499

Title:	Methods and kits for maxillary dental anesthesia by means of a nasal deliverable anesthetic
Abstract:	Methods and systems for anesthetizing a portion or all of a patient's maxillary dental arch using a nasal delivered anesthetizing composition. The process generates anesthesia sufficient for facilitation of operative dentistry, endodontics, periodontics or oral surgery for teeth of the maxillary arch. The dental nasal spray process consists of inserting one or more dispensing devices through the patient's nostril and delivering metered dosages of anesthetic solution or gel into the nasal cavity. The process may utilize a single solution which is a mixture of anesthetic agents, vasoconstricting agents and other physiological inert agents or two separate solutions, wherein one solution contains the vasoconstricting agents and the other solution contains the anesthetic agents. Anesthetic diffusion through the thin walls of the nasal cavity allows for the blocking of nerve impulses originating from the maxillary dentition and surrounding tissues. Anesthesia of specific oral regions such as right versus left sides of the dental arch, anterior versus posterior teeth, and soft tissue anesthesia may be controlled through modification of the dosage volume and the selection of right or left nostril insertion and agent delivery.
Inventor(s):	Clay; Bryan M. (Ridgeland, MS)
Assignee:
Application Number:	09/567,635
Patent Claims:	1. A method for selectively targeting and anesthetizing at least a portion of a patient's maxillary dental arch comprising: (a) providing a nasally deliverable anesthetizing composition which includes a pharmaceutically effective amount of an anesthetizing agent; and (b) selectively delivering a quantity of the anesthetizing composition into the rear of the patient's nasal cavity in order for at least a portion of the anesthetizing composition to be absorbed by nasal tissue located at the rear of the nasal cavity in the vicinity of at least one nerve responsible for transmitting pain impulses from at least a portion of the maxillary dental arch to the patient's brain in order to thereby selectively and remotely anesthetize at least that portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch. 2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the anesthetizing composition is applied and absorbed in a manner so as to selectively and remotely anesthetize at least one tooth of at least one hemisphere of the maxillary dental arch. 3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the anesthetizing composition is applied and absorbed in a manner so as to selectively anesthetize at least one of the anterior superior alveolar nerve, middle superior alveolar nerve, posterior alveolar nerve, or preceding nerves in order to selectively and remotely anesthetize at least one tooth of at least one hemisphere of the maxillary dental arch. 4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the anesthetizing composition is applied and absorbed in a manner so as to selectively anesthetize at least one of the greater palatine nerve or preceding nerves in order to selectively and remotely anesthetize at least a portion of the hard palate. 5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the anesthetizing composition is applied and absorbed in a manner so as to selectively anesthetize at least one of the lesser palatine nerve or preceding nerves in order to selectively and remotely anesthetize at least a portion of the soft palate. 6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the anesthetizing agent comprises at least one of tetracaine, lidocaine, benzocaine, dyclonine, pramoxine, dibucaine, butacaine, cocaine, salts of the foregoing, or analogues of the foregoing. 7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising administering a vasoconstrictor into the patient's nasal cavity in order to promote penetration and absorption of the anesthetizing agent by nasal tissue located at the rear of the nasal cavity. 8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the vasoconstrictor is administered in a manner so as to inhibit migration of the anesthetizing agent away from the at least one nerve. 9. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the vasoconstrictor comprises at least one of oxymetazoline hydrochloride, phenylephrine hydrochloride, naphazoline hydrochloride, propylhexadrine, levodesoxyephedrine, or analogues of the foregoing. 10. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the vasoconstrictor is included within the anesthetizing composition and administered together with the anesthetizing agent. 11. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the vasoconstrictor is administered separately from the anesthetizing agent. 12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the anesthetizing composition includes one or more inert ingredients for modification of at least one of substance wetting, control of mixture viscosity, control of mixture pH, or control of mixture dilution. 13. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the anesthetizing composition is at least one of a liquid, solution suspension, gel, or powder. 14. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the anesthetizing composition is delivered into the patient's nasal cavity by means of a delivery device configured so as to preferentially deliver a desired dosage of the anesthetizing composition to the rear of the nasal cavity. 15. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising topically applying an anesthetic composition to gingival tissue in order to anesthetize the gingival tissue. 16. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising administering a nasal drip inhibiting agent in order to inhibit dripping of fluid from the patient's nasal cavity. 17. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the anesthetizing composition further includes water prior to delivery of the anesthetizing composition to the patient's nasal cavity. 18. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising performing at least one procedure involving at least a portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch that would otherwise result in pain or discomfort absent anesthetization of at least a portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch. 19. A method for selectively targeting and anesthetizing at least a portion of a patient's maxillary dental arch comprising: (a) providing an anesthetizing composition which includes a pharmaceutically effective amount of an anesthetizing agent; (b) selectively delivering a quantity of the anesthetizing composition into the rear of the patient's nasal cavity in order for at least a portion of the anesthetizing composition to penetrate and be absorbed by nasal tissue located at the rear of the nasal cavity in the vicinity of at least one nerve responsible for transmitting pain impulses from at least a portion of the maxillary dental arch to the patient's brain in order to thereby selectively and remotely anesthetize at least a portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch; (c) providing a vasoconstrictor; and (d) selectively introducing a desired quantity of the vasoconstrictor into the patient's nasal cavity in order to promote absorption of the anesthetizing composition by the nasal tissue located at the rear of the nasal cavity and inhibit migration of the anesthetizing composition away from the vicinity of the at least one nerve responsible for transmitting pain impulses from at least one tooth of the maxillary dental arch to the patient's brain. 20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the vasoconstrictor is introduced into the patient's nasal cavity prior to introducing the anesthetizing composition. 21. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the vasoconstrictor is introduced into the patient's nasal cavity at the same time as the anesthetizing composition. 22. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the vasoconstrictor is introduced into the patient's nasal cavity subsequent to introducing the anesthetizing composition. 23. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the anesthetizing composition further includes water prior to delivery of the anesthetizing composition to the patient's nasal cavity. 24. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising performing at least one procedure involving at least a portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch that would otherwise result in pain or discomfort absent anesthetization of at least a portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch. 25. A method for selectively targeting and anesthetizing at least a portion of a patient's maxillary dental arch comprising: (a) providing a nasally deliverable aqueous anesthetizing composition which includes a pharmaceutically effective amount of an anesthetizing agent; (b) selectively delivering a quantity of the aqueous anesthetizing composition into the rear of the patient's nasal cavity in order for at least a portion of the anesthetizing composition to be absorbed by nasal tissue located at the rear of the nasal cavity in the vicinity of at least one nerve responsible for transmitting pain impulses from at least a portion of the maxillary dental arch to the patient's brain in order to thereby selectively and remotely anesthetize at least that portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch; and (c) performing at least one procedure involving at least a portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch that would otherwise result in pain or discomfort absent anesthetization of at least a portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch. 26. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the anesthetizing composition is applied and absorbed in a manner so as to anesthetize at least one of the anterior superior alveolar nerve, middle superior alveolar nerve, posterior superior alveolar nerve, or preceding nerves in order to anesthetize at least one tooth of at least one hemisphere of the maxillary dental arch. 27. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the anesthetizing composition is applied and absorbed in a manner so as to selectively anesthetize at least one of the greater palatine nerve, the lesser palatine nerve, or preceding nerves in order to anesthetize at least a portion of the hard palate, the soft palate, or both. 28. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the anesthetizing agent comprises at least one of tetracaine, lidocaine, benzocaine, dyclonine, pramoxine, dibucaine, butacaine, cocaine, salts of the foregoing, or analogues of the foregoing. 29. A method as defined in claim 25, further comprising administering a vasoconstrictor into the patient's nasal cavity in order to promote penetration and absorption of the anesthetizing agent by nasal tissue located at the rear of the nasal cavity. 30. A method as defined in claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the vasoconstrictor is included within the anesthetizing composition and administered together with the anesthetizing agent. 31. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the anesthetizing composition is delivered into the patient's nasal cavity by means of a delivery device configured so as to preferentially deliver a desired dosage of the anesthetizing composition to the rear of the nasal cavity. 32. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein the procedure involving at least a portion of the patient's maxillary dental arch comprises at least one of drilling one or more cavities, a root canal procedure, pulling one or more teeth, crown work, or bridge work.