A visit to the dentist remains a stressful event for many people, though the development of anesthesia may be said to have profoundly altered the patient experience. The various chemicals used to manage pain and prepare the patient for dental procedures represent an important evolution in the practice of dental surgery, as well as the approach to patient care. The development of the syringe in the nineteenth century revolutionized local anesthesia, and brought the dentist visit closer to its modern incarnation (Bennion, 1986).
