[Question of curative anesthesia].

As a method for keeping a tooth pulp vital that has undergone inflammatory alterations, curative anesthesia is controversial. Generally accepted ideas on the mechanism of action and on therapeutic concepts are lacking. Animal experiments using Laser Doppler flowmetry and intravital microscopy are to demonstrate that, under defined conditions, local anesthesia may reduce the effects of neurogenic pulpitis. A therapeutic recommendation, however, cannot be given.