OraVerse™
Local Anesthetic Reversal Agent

The Problem

Prolonged soft-tissue anesthesia is an unnecessary and unwanted side effect of local dental anesthesia, especially in routine, restorative or hygienic dental procedures.

Absorption of the local anesthetic into the cardiovascular system is passive and the local anesthetic remains in and around the nerves in the lips, cheek, and tongue causing the unwanted side effect of lingering numbness.

This numbness can last up to five hours following treatment. This results in difficulty in speaking, eating, and drinking, and prevents patients from returning to their daily activities. Prolonged numbness, especially in children, can result in injury due to accidental biting of the lip and/or tongue.

The Solution

OraVerse is a novel formulation of phentolamine, an alpha-adrenergic antagonist. The hypothesis for the mechanism of action is that OraVerse acts as a vasodilator and the result is faster diffusion of anesthetic into the cardiovascular system and away from the site, thereby reducing the unwanted side effects of lingering lip and tongue numbness.